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COMFORT  IN  SORROW ; 


A 


TOKEN  FOR  THE  'BEREAVED. 


BY 


B.  P.  LIVERMORE. 

m 


Comfort  all  that  Mourn.’'’— laaiRli, 

- - -  ■  - 


CHICAGO,  ELL.  : 

D,  P.  LIVERMORE,  1:  :  :  :  :  NEW  COVENANT  OFFICE 

im. 


1 


•  t  *  '  ^ 


>i 


i'hO, 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1866,  by 

D.  P.  LIVERMORE, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  Northern  District  of  the 

State  of  Illinois. 


H.  W.  Havkn,  Printer, 
132  South  Clark  St. 


PREFACE. 


This  little  volume  which  has  been  prepared  amid 
a  multiplicity  of  duties,  is  designed  more  especially 
for  the  bereaved,  to  impart  comfort  in  sorrow.  The 
author  is  not  insensible  to  its  imperfections  ;  he  has 
not  written  for  the  eye  of  the  critic,  but  to  present 
thoughts  suggested  by  twenty  years’  experience  in 
the  Christian  ministry,  to  console  the^  aflSicted  and 
strengthen  the  sorrowing.  Having  been  bowed  in 
sorrow  himself,  and  having  found  consolation  in 
bereavement,  he  has  desired  here  to  comfort  others 
with  the  same  comfort  wherewith  he  has  been 
comforted  of  God. 

Such  as  it  is,  he  sends  this  little  volume  out,  on 
its  divine  and  holy  mission,  devoutly  praying  that 
it  may  assuage  the  sorrows  of  the  afflicted,  and  do 
somewhat  to  mitigate  the  grief  incident  to  the 
bereavements  and  disappointments  which  are  the 
common  lot  of  humanity. 


VII 


PREFACE. 


SECOND  EDITION. 

The  first  edition  of  this  book  having  been  exhaust¬ 
ed,  and  the  demand  for  it  still  continuing,  it  now 
appears  in  a  new  and  enlarged  form.  Several  arti¬ 
cles  have  been  added  upon  \30nsolatory  topics,  pre¬ 
pared  with  special  reference  to  the  bereaved.  The 
author  has  received  repeated  assurances  that  this 
little  volume  has  carried  comfort  to  many  sorrow¬ 
ing  hearts,  and  he  sends  it  forth  again  in  this 
new  form,  with  the  prayer  that  it  may  continue 
its  holy  mission  in  the  comforting  of  the  aflQ  icted 
and  bereaved. 

Chicago,  June,  1866. 


CONTENTS. 


Immortality  of  the  Soul, . 9 

Recognition  op  Friends  after  Death,  ...  21 

Progress  in  the  Future  Life, . 35 

Consolation  in  Bereavement,  .  .  -w  .  .  .  41 

Nature  and  Providence, . 47 

I  Would  not  Live  Alway, . 61 

Lost  a  Child, . 58 

The  Angel  Guest, . 62 

Divine  Strength, . 66 

Death  of  Children, . 70 

Destruction  of  Death, . 79 

Value  of  Christian  Hope, . 83 

The  Bereaved  Mother, . 92 

The  Two  Homes, . 97 

Heaven  and  its  Attractions, . 105 

Comforts  of  the  Gospel, . 125 

Mission  op  Affliction, . 180 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


The  Strengthening  Angel,  . 

The  Loneliness  op  Death, 

. 150 

Soldiers’  Hymn,  .... 

The  Memory  of  the  Dead  .  . 

Without  the  Children,  .  .  , 

......  165 

The  Heavenly  Shepherd,  .  . 

. 167 

IMMORTALITY  OF  THE  SOUL. 


Whatever  portion  of  the  vast  creation  of  God 
we  pause  to  examine  and  study,  the  magnificent 
display  of  divine  wisdom  and  benevolence  chal¬ 
lenges  our  admiration  and  excites  our  wonder. 

On  every  hand,  we  trace  the  “  footprints  of  the 
Creator,”  and  behold  a  marvelous  exhibition  of 
God’s  perfections.  In  the  countless  hosts  that  burn 
and  blaze  above  us,  we  read  lectures  of  heavenly 
wisdom ;  and  when  we  consider  that  God  has 
launched  these  myriads  of  worlds  from  his  mould¬ 
ing  hand,  out  into  infinite  space,  and  look  at  these 
heavens  as  the  work  of  his  finger,  the  moon  and 
stars  which  He  has  ordained,  we  are  constrained 
to  ask,  what,  indeed,  is  man  that  God  should  be 
mindful  of  him  ? 

And,  yet,  feeble  and  insignificant  as  man  may 
appear,  he  constitutes  the  crowning  glory  of  creative 
power.  Being  created  in  the  Divine  image,  but  a 
2 


10 


IMMORTALITY. 


little  lower  than  the  angels,  he  bears  the  highest 
mark  of  the  Infinite  Mind.  God  having  sealed  him 
with  his  own  precious  signet,  and  given  him  a 
mental  and  moral  nature,  destined  to  live  forever, 
he  sustains  the  most  intimate  relation  to  the  Infi¬ 
nite  Father. 

It  is  this  intellectual  and  moral  nature  of  man 
which  constitutes  him  a  child  of  God,  in  contradis¬ 
tinction  from  the  race  of  animals,  which  are  only 
creatures  of  his  hand.  Man  alone  is  the  offspring 
of  God,  and  being  created  in  the  Divine  image, 
is  permitted  to  call  Him  Father.  The  work  of 
creation  would  have  been  incomplete  without  the 
rational  soul  to  study  the  works  of  God  ;  to  admire 
the  beauties  of  creation,  and  be  filled  with  wonder, 
love  and  praise.  God  might  have  stretched  abroad 
these  heavens,  and  garnished  the  sky  with  magnifi¬ 
cent  wonders ;  the  earth  might  have  been  orna¬ 
mented  and  made  beautiful  by  infinite  intelligence ; 
but  all  this  display  of  the  Divine  perfections  would 
have  been  lost,  without  intelligent  souls  to  appre¬ 
ciate  the  goodness  of  the  Lord,  and  adore  Him 
for  the  greatness  of  his  love  and  the  wealth  of  his 
wisdom. 

God  gave  to  his  offspring  a  nature  which  enables 
him  to  appreciate  the  beauties  and  wonders  of  crea¬ 
tion —  and  without  such  a  being  as  man,  God 


IMMORTALITY. 


11 


never  could  have  been  seen  in  his  works;  for  the 
beasts  of  the  field  do  not  see  Him.  It  requires  a 
rational  soul  to  see  God  in  nature  ;  in  the  heaving 
ocean  ;  in  the  everlasting  mountains;  in  the  refresh¬ 
ing  breeze;  in  the  shining  sun;  in  the  falling  rain, 
and  in  the  starry  firmament.  We  repeat,  then, 
with  emphasis,  that  the  creation  would  have  been 
incomplete,  without  a  being  made  in  the  image  of 
God,  to  know  Him,  to  learn  of  Him,  to  be  allied 
to  Him  by  an  indissoluble  tie,  and  to  honor,  love, 
and  serve  Him.  Without  moral  and  intelligent 
beings,  there  would  have  been  none  to  appreciate 
the .  marvelous  exhibition  of  Divine  wisdom  and 
benevolence,  none  to  prostrate  themselves  in  ado¬ 
ration  before  God,  to  adore  his  wisdom,  praise  Him 
for  his  goodness  and  love,  and  worship  Him  in  the 
beauty  of  holiness. 

God  made  such  a  being  when  He  created  man 
in  his  own  image  —  endowed  him  to  a  limited 
extent  with  the  same  powers,  intellectual  and  moral 
attributes  and  affections  that  belong  to  Himself. 
This  work  constitutes  man  a  child,  and  God  a 
Father. 

A  soul  could  not  be  made  in  the  image  of  God 
and  be  mortal.  The  beasts,  which  perish,  are  not 
said  to  be  made  in  God’s  image  ;  and  had  man  a 
mortal  soul  to  perish,  like  the  beasts,  he  would 


12 


IMMORTALITY. 


not  have  been  spoken  of  as  having  been  created  in 
the  likeness  of  God.  Man  is  made  in  an  immortal 
image,  with  an  imperishable  nature. 

Philosophy,  indeed,  teaches  that  matter  is  inde¬ 
structible —  that  there  is  not  a  particle  of  matter 
less  now  than  on  the  day  of  creation  —  that  the 
conditions  of  material  form  are  changed,  but  matter 
itself  is  not  lost  in  the  change  of  conditions.  And 
if  such  are  the  teachings  of  philosophy,  in  regard 
to  matter,  shall  we  not  infer  as  much  from  the 
teachings  of  mental  philosophy,  in  regard  to  the 
indestructibility  of  mind  ?  If  God  has  made  matter 
indestructible,  is  it  not  as  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  He  has  made  the  soul  indestructible  and 
immortal  ? 

The  immortality  of  the  soul  is  not  only  a  legiti¬ 
mate  deduction  from  the  premise  already  estab¬ 
lished,  that  man  is  made  in  the  likeness  of  God, 
but  it  may  be  argued  from  its  own  nature  and 
wants.  When  God  created  man  an  intellectual  and 
moral  being.  He  gave  to  him  a  mind,  not  of  infinite 
powers  and  attributes,  but  of  unlimited  duration  — 
a  nature  to  unfold  and  develop,  capable  of  endless 
growth  and  expansion. 

God  has  planted  immortal  desires  within  the 
soul.  We  all  have  aspirations  that  rush  into  the 
skies.  Man’s  spiritual  nature  craves  immortality 


IMMORTALITY. 


13 


just  as  the  physical  nature  craves  food.  This  desire 
belongs  to  man’s  mental  being  the  same  as  sight 
and  hearing  belong  to  the  physical  nature.  This 
desire  for  immortality  is  not  the  result  of  education 
and  Christian  teaching.  It  is  a  natural  craving, 
common  to  all  men  —  to  the  uncivilized  and  most 
barbarous  nations  of  the  earth.  Man  feels  his 
immortality  —  that  he  is  a  child  of  God  —  and  that 
there  is  something  within  him  that  will  survive 
the  wreck  of  matter  and  crash  of  worlds  ! 

Now,  God  would  not  have  given  us  this  desire 
for  immortality,  had  He  not  intended  to  satisfy  it. 
He  would  not  kindle  hopes  in  the  soul,  merely  to 
disappoint  them.  If  man  were  not  ultimately  to 
possess  immortality,  our  heavenly  Father  would  not 
have  given  to  the  human  soul  such  an  aspiration. 

No  good  parent  would  kindle  hopes  in  a  child’s 
bosom  merely  to  disappoint  them.  What  would 
be  thought  of  a  parent,  who  should  present  some 
delicious  fruit  before  a  little  child,  almost  within  its 
reach,  and  thus  create  desires  in  the  mind  of  the 
child  for  the  fruit,  never  intending  to  gratify  them, 
but  for  the  express  purpose  of  disappointing  the 
child?  We  should  call  such  a  parent  hard-hearted 
and  cruel ;  and  though  we  might  believe  that  a 
tiend  would  do  thus,  we  could  not  believe  this  of  a 
God  of  infinite  love.  Tantalus  was  represented  by 


14 


IMMORTALITY. 


the  poets  as  being  punished  in  hell  with  an  insa¬ 
tiable  thirsty  and  placed  up  to  his  chin  in  the  midst 
of  a  pool  of  water,  which,  however,  receded  as 
soon  as  he  attempted  to  drink  and  satisfy  his  Diirst. 
And  thus,  while  surrounded  with  the  element,  which 
he  so  much  craved,  he  could  never  taste  it!  Just 
above  his  head,  only  beyond  his  reach,  hung  a 
bough  loaded  with  the  most  delicious  fruits,  but 
the  moment  he  attempted  to  seize  it,  it  was  suddenly 
removed  beyond  his  grasp  by  a  blast  of  wind. 
And  in  this  way,  the  gods  were  represented  as 
punishing  Tantalus,  in  hell,  by  giving  him  desires 
w^hich  could  never  be  satisfied. 

But  shall  we  say  that  our  heavenly  Father  —  a 
God  of  infinite  wusdom  and  love,  has  given  man 
desires  for  immortality,  which  he  does  not  intend 
to  satisfy  ?  If  God  had  designed  that  man  should 
end  his  existence  with  the  present  life.  He  would 
not  have  planted  wdthin  the  soul,  longings  and 
desires  for  an  immortal  life.  He  ought  to  have 
been  made  with  aspirations  that  earth  could  satisfy. 
But  as  he  is  not  so  constituted,  it  is,  at  least,  strong 
presumptive  evidence  of  his  immortality.  Indeed, 
the  argument  to  our  own  mind  has  almost  the  force 
of  actual  demonstration. 

Besides,  if  creation  w  ould  have  been  incomplete 
as  we  have  shown  from  a  previous  line  of  thought, 


15 


without  moral  and  intelligent  beings  to  see  and  adore 
God,  to  praise  and  to  love  Him  ;  then  if  such  minds 
were  struck  out  of  existence,  as  they  must  be  if  the 
soul  is  not  immortal,  the  work  of  God  would  remain 
eternally  incomplete,  and  thrown  back  into  the  same 
unfinished  state,  as  it  was,  before  He  created  a. 
rational  being.  Our  heavenly  Father  would  be 
striking  out  of  existence  the  only  creature  of  his 
hand  that  can  admire  his  works  —  appreciate  his 
wisdom  and  goodness,  and  adore  and  serve  Him ; 
the  only  being  capable  of  gratitude  and  praise  — 
the  only  being  in  the  vast  creation  that  can  see, 
worship,  and  know  God!  We  can  discover  no 
reason  for  such  a  destructive  work  on  the  part  of 
our  heavenly  Parent.  The  same  argument  which 
would  exhibit  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  in 
creating  a  rational  soul,  would  prove  the  necessity  of 
its  continued  existence.  If  man  is  not  ultimately 
to  possess  immortality,  the  present  life  is  an  inex¬ 
plicable  enigma!  Why  should  God  create  intel¬ 
ligent  beings,  with  such  capabilities  and  aspirations 
—  with  minds  capable  of  culture,  growth  and  expan¬ 
sion  that  ally  them  to  the  Infinite  Mind ;  to  live 
upon  the  earth  a  few  short  years,  and  experience  the 
joy  and  bliss  of  culture,  refinement,  and  communion 
with  Him,  and  just  as  they  begin  to  understand  the 
sciences  and  to  learn  of  God,  strike  them  out  exis¬ 
tence. 


16 


IMMOETALITY. 


Man  need-s  to  be  immortal  to  see  all  of  God.  Oh, 
how  little  we  understand  Him,  who  spake  and  it 
was  done;  who  commanded  and  all  things  stood 
fast ;  who  stretched  abroad  the  heayens,  and  built 
the  countless  firmaments!  Now^how  circumscribed 
is  our  vision — how  limited  our  knowledge?  We 
need  to  be  immortal  that  w^e  may  learn  of  God  for¬ 
ever  and  ever.  It  will  take  an  eternity  for  our 
powers  fully  to  unfold,  an  endless  life  to  compre¬ 
hend  God, and  understand  the  wealth  of  his  w  isdom, 
and  the  greatness  of  his  love.  Man,  therefore,  must 
be  immortal.  Immortality  of  mind  is  absolutely 
essential  to  its  full  development. 

When  we  consider  the  greatness  of  the  soul, 
which  is  created  in  the  Divine  image,  and  the 
capability  of  man,  we  are  constrained  to  believe 
that  God  must  have  had  a  good  object  in  giving 
existence  to  such  a  being.  All  minds,  we  think, 
will  readily  assent  to  this  statement,  however  reluc¬ 
tant  some  may  be  to  acknowledge  its  logical  conclu¬ 
sion.  We  cannot  well  conceive  of  a  God  of  infinite 
wisdom  working  without  some  design.  In  creating 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  He  must  have  had  some 
definite  purpose  in  view.  And  when  He  created 
man  in  his  own  image.  He  must  have  had  some 
definite  object  in  his  creation. 

And  if  God  cannot  work  without  an  obiect  in 


IMMOKTALITY. 


17 


view,  as  He  is  an  infinitely  wise  and  benevolent 
Being,  it  is  equally  evident  that  He  must  have  a 
wise  and  benevolent  purpose.  This  follows  of 
logical  sequence.  God  could  not  have  an  evil 
purpose  in  awakening  men  into  existence,  for  his 
nature  is  love,  and  love  worketh  no  evil.  All  agree 
upon  this  point.  Long  has  it  been  taught  that 
the  “  chief  end  of  man  is  to  glorify  God  and 
enjoy  Him  forever.” 

Whatever  error  the  Catechism  contains,  we  think, 
that  it  here  teaches  a  glorious  truth.  What  other 
object  could  an  infinitely  wise  and  good  God  have 
in  forming  a  being  in  his  own  likeness?  What 
nobler  end  than  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy  Him  for¬ 
ever?  God  only  can  be  glorified  by  the  ultimate 
redemption  of  the  soul. 

This  purpose  of  the  Divine  Being  must  be  accom¬ 
plished,  for  our  heavenly  Father  cannot  be  disap¬ 
pointed  in  the  creation  of  man.  His  plans  cannot 
be  frustrated.  There  is  no  earthly  power  that  can 
defeat  the  purposes  of  the  Almighty.  He  will 
carry  forward  all  his  plans  and  execute  all  his 
designs,  so  that  all  men,  we  trust,  will  ultimately 
glorify  God  and  enjoy  Him  forever. 

Entertaining  such  views  of  the  Divine  character 
and  purpose,  and  moral  government  of  God,  we 
can  trust  in  Him  for  time  and  for  eternity.  Con- 
2a 


18 


IMMORTALITY. 


scious  of  our  immortality,  the  cold  grave  shall  not 
frigViten  us,  for  we  feel  assured  that  we  shall  sur\ive 
the  stupendous  change,  and  with  our  kindred  and 
friends,  live  and  reign  with  God  forevermore. 

To  this  view’  it  has  sometimes  been  objected 
that  man  is  not  now  immortal,  because  the  Scrip¬ 
tures  teach  that  God  only  hath  immortality.  —  1 
Tim.  vi.  16. 

The  meaning  evidently  is,  that  God  only  posesseth 
independent  immortaWy.  He  is  without  beginning 
of  days  or  end  of  years,  the  uncreated  Being  — 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.  Man  derives  his 
immortality  from  God  ;  but  with  God,  it  is  not 
derived.  It  exists  in  Him  independently,  the  uncre¬ 
ated  Being;  and  as  He  is  the  only  uncreated  and 
underived  Being,  it  is  said  that  He  only  hath 
immortality.  Man  derives  it  from  God.  He,  conse¬ 
quently,  gives  immortality  to  every  being  created 
in  his  owm  immortal  image.  The  expression  siniply 
distinguishes  the  Almighty  from  all  created  natures. 
He  is  infinitely  exalted  above  the  throne  of  the  uni- 
verse,  dwelling  in  light  wdiich  no  man  can  approach 
unto.  He  is  the  only  Being  without  beginning 
of  days  or  end  of  years,  and,  therefore.  He  only 
hath  immortality.  The  passage  does  not  say  that 
God  is  the  only  Being  w’ho  is  now  immortal  ; 
or  angels  are  immortal,  the  countless  hosts  of 


IMMORTALITY. 


19 


redeemed  spirits  in  heaven  are  immortal,  and  man’s 
spiritual  nature  is  i;nmortal  ;  but  God  is  the  only 
Being  who  possesses  independent  immortality  ;  lie 
hath  immortality  in  Himself.  The  passage  certainly 
does  not  teach  that  man  is  not  immortal.  In  Rom. 
xvi.  27,  God  is  called  only  wise  !  This  certainly 
does  not  teach  that  man  is  destitute  of  wisdom 
because  God  is  only  wise !  It  means  that  God’s 
wisdom  is  underived  and  uncreated,  and  inherent 
in  his  nature.  This  is  all  Paul  meant  when  he 
spoke  of  God  who  is  only  wise.  So  when  he  says 
God  only  hath  immortality,  we  understand  him  to 
teach  that  He  only  hath  underived  and  independ¬ 
ent  immortality. 

In  the  preceding  verse,  God  is  said  to  be,  “The 
blessed  and  ordy  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords.”  —  1  Tim.  vi.  15.  This  does  not 
rnean  that  there  are  no  other  potentates  and 
kings  and  monarchs,  because  God  is  here  cilled 
the  only  Potentate.  A  potentate  is  a  ruler  who 
possesses  great  power  —  a  great  sovereign.  There 
are  consequently  many  potentates  on  earth,  many 
kings  and  rulers,  though  God  is  called  the  only 
potentate.  The  meaning  is  that  God  possesses 
Ahnighty  power.  He  is  the  Infinite  Ruler  and 
Mighty  Sovereign  of  the  universe,  and  King  of  all 
kings  and  Lord  of  all  lords.  All  beings  derive 


20 


IMMORTALITY. 


their  strength  and  power  from  Him ;  He  alone 
possesses  independent  power.  His  is  underived 
strength.  In  this  sense,  He  only  hath  immortality. 
With  Him,  it  is  underived  and  independent. 

There  is  one  passage  (we  might  quote  many) 
which,  we  think,  places  the  matter  beyond  all 
doubt  in  regard  to  the  immortality  of  man:  “Now 
that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  showed  at  the 
bush,  when  he  called  the  Lord,  the  God  of  Abra¬ 
ham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 
For  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the 
living;  for  all  live  unto  Hdi.”  —  Luke  xx.  37,  38. 
It  was  shown  unto  Moses  that  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  were  alive  unto  God ;  for  He  is  not  the  God 
of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living;  for  all  men  live 
unto  Him.  They  were  not  in  an  unconscious  state, 
and,  therefore,  must  have  been  alive  and  immortal. 
In  this  way,  Moses  showed  that  the  dead  are  raised. 
This  passage  shows  distinctly  that  man  does  not 
rest  in  the  grave,  but  passes  into  a  state  of  conscious 
immortality,  and  lives  unto  God,  hence  God  is  not 
the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living,  for  all  live 
unto  Him. 


RECOGi^ITION  OF  FRIENDS 


IN  THE 

ir'XJTXJrLE  ST-i^k-TE. 

\ 


The  recognition  of  friends  in  the  future  state  of 
existence,  is  a  subject  fraught  with  deepest  impor¬ 
tance  to  those  who  believe  in  the  immortality  of 
the  soul.  Once  convinced  that  we  shall  live  here¬ 
after,  we  desire  to  know  whether  we  shall  meet 
our  friends  and  loved  ones  in  the  immortal  world. 
Called  as  we  are  are  to  part  with  those  dear  to  us 
as  the  “  apple  of  our  eye,”  and  to  follow  the  forms 
of  loved  ones  to  the  cold  grave,  the  subject  which 
we  propose  now  to  consider,  is  one  of  intense 
interest  to  every  human  being,  and  addresses  itself 
to  the  affections  of  the  heart,  as  well  as  the  highest 
powers  of  the  intellect,  and  may  properly  be  consid¬ 
ered  in  the  light  of  reason  and  revelation.  Standing 
beside  the  grave,  and  bending  over  the  form  of 


22 


EECOGNITION  OF  FKIENDS 


some  dear  friend,  the  question  which  presses  itself 
upon  our.  attention  is  —  shall  we  meet  on  the 
immortal  shores?  Shall  we  so  distinctly  retain  our 
identity,  as  to  be  conscious  of  our  own  spiritual 
existence,  and  of  the  existence  of  our  kindred  and 
friends?  AVe  inquire  how  far  reason  and  revela¬ 
tion  sanction  the  hope  that  we  shall  meet  again 
and  enjoy  uninterrupted  harmony  and  peace  with  our 
friends  in  heaven?  If  we  are  able  to  decide  this 
point  as  our  affections  dictate  and  aspirations 
demand,  then  we  can  be  resigned  to  God’s  prov¬ 
idences,  and  sustained  in  our  deepest  sorrows;  but 
if  not,  peace  must  forever  be  a  stranger  to  our 
bosoms  and  we  cannot  be  comforted  in  our  afflic¬ 
tions.  AVho  then  has  not  an  interest  in  this  theme? 

Designing  to  examine  the  subject  in  the  light  of 
reason  and  revelation,  we  will  glance  first  at  the  phil¬ 
osophical  argument  in  proof  of  the  future  recog¬ 
nition  of  friends. 

1.  VTe  remark,  that  the  btct  of  a  reunion  of 
friends  in  the  future  life,  is  distinctly  implied  in  all 
that  is  given  us  in  the  gospel  to  comfort  mourners. 
As  the  gospel  of  Christ  was  given  to  comfort  all 
that  mourn,  its  divine  truths  are  peculiarly  designed 
to  comfort  the  afflicted,  and  heal  the  broken  hearted, 
give  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  garment 
of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness.  Such  being  the 


IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


23 


object  of  the  gospel,  as  every  believer  in  Christi¬ 
anity  must  admit,  we  cannot  fail  to  perceive  the 
nature  of  the  truths  it  reveals,  to  assuage  human 
sorrows  and  comfort  afflicted  souls  here  can  be 
no  comfort  in  the  thought  of  eternal  separation  of 
friends,  which  inevitably  takes  place,  if  we  do  not 
meet  loved  ones  hereafter.  If  there  is  no  reunion 
in  the  immortal  world,  then  death  produces  a  sepa¬ 
ration  which  is  to  be  endless  in  duration,  and  such  a 
thought  can  afford  no  consolation.  And  if  the 
gospel  teaches  such  separation,  instead  of  being 
adapted  to  our  wants,  it  pierces  the  soul  with  many 
sorrows.  When  the  parent  mourns  the  departure 
of  a  dear  child,  how  can  such  be  comforted,  if  the 
gospel  teaches  that  parent  and  child  will  never  meet 
again?  If  it  does  not  teach  a  happy  reunion,  then 
it  teaches  eternal  separation,  and  no  comfort  can 
be  deiived  from  such  a  reflection.  Though  it  may 
teach  a  future  state  of  existence  for  parent  and  child, 
yet  if  neither  has  any  consciousness  of  the  other’s 
presence,  they  are  practically  separated.  If  a  child 
of  ours  should  visit  a  foreign  country  ;  and  though 
we  might  follow  on  to  the  same  land,  yet,  if  we 
both  should  become  so  changed  as  not  to  recognize 
each  other,  though  living  in  the  same  house,  w^e 
should  be  virtually  separated,  and  it  would  be  the 
same  to  us  both,  as  though  we  w^ere  in  different 


24 


RECOGNITION  OF  FRIENDS 


countries,  thousand  of  miles  apart.  If  we  do  not 
meet  loved  ones  hereafter,  then  it  is  the  same  to  us 
as  though  they  do  not  exist.  And  no  comfort  can 
be  derived  from  such  a  thought. 

If  the  gospel  does  not  teach  a  happy  reunion 
after  death,  then  it  is  altogether  inadequate  to 
our  trials,  and  unable  to  impart  the  consolation 
which  afflicted  hearts  demand.  If  we  mourn  because 
dear  ones  are  taken  from  us,  the  only  consolation 
adequate  to  the  occasion  is,  that  the  separation  is 
not  endless. 

We  need  not  pursue  this  line  of  thought  farther 
at  this  time,  for  the  argument  based  upon  Chris¬ 
tian  hope,  and  the  consolatory  nature  of  gospel 
truth  comes  to  us  with  that  logical  force  which 
almost  amounts  to  actual  demonstration. 

2.  Another  argument  that  may  be  urged  in  proof 
of  the  future  recognition  of  friends  in  heaven,  — 
based  upon  personal  identity,  appears  to  our  mind 

clear,  logical  -  and  conclusive.  The  doctrine  of  the 
Scriptures  concerning  immortality,  is  based  upon 
the  fact  that  every  individual  of  the  human  race  is 
to  be  raised  from  the  dead,  and  that  the  future  life 
is  a  state  of  conscious  existence  for  man  personally 
as  well  as  of  spiritual  exaltation.  Though  man  is 
to  pass  through  a  great  and  glorious  change  in  being 
raised  from  the  dead,  yet  the  individual  mail  is  to 


Iisr  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


25 


be  raised  —  not  the  material  and  perishable  body, 
for  this  does  not  constitute  the  man  —  but  the 
mind  —  the  spiritual  nature — that  which  consti¬ 
tutes  the  divine  image,  the  moral  likeness  of  God ; 
this  is  the  man  —  the  immortal  nature,  which  is  to 
live  forever. 

When  a  dissolution  of  the  co-partnership  which 
now  exists  between  the  mind  and  the  body  takes 
place,  the  process  we  call  death.  When  the  firm 
is  dissolved,  we  say  the  man  dies  —  that  which 
once  animated  the  body  has  taken  its  departure, 
and  dust  moulders  back  to  dust  as  it  was. 

The  body  depends  upon  the  mind  for  life, 
strength  and  activity  ;  and  when  the  spirit  takes 
its  departure,  the  body  lies  cold  and  inanimate. 
But  there  is  no  extinction  of  consciousness,  we 
apprehend,  for  the  body  is  not  the  seat  of  conscious¬ 
ness,  but  the  mind ;  and  when  the  spirit  is  discon¬ 
nected  from  the  material  organization,  it  is  exalted 
—  raised  to  a  higher  life,  and  gravitates  toward 
the  throne  of  God  ;  hence  it  is  the  individual  man 
who  is  raised  to  the  enjoyments  of  an  immortal  life. 

If  the  same  beings  are  not  raised,  it  is  virtually 
a  new  creation  — -  another  order  of  beings  ;  and  this 
certainly  is  not  the  Scriptural  doctrine  of  the  resur¬ 
rection.  If  a  man  is  so  changed  in  passing  from 
this  to  a  future  state,  as  not  to  be  able  to  identify 


26 


RECOGNITION  OF  FRIENDS 


himself  on  the  immortal  shores,  then  there  is  a 
new  creation  of  beings.  If  we,  in  passing  (rom 
this  to  another  country,  should  become  so  changed 
by  the  journey  as  not  to  identify  ourselves  in  a 
foreign  land,  it  would  not  be  the  same  persons 
who  left  here,  but  virtually  other  individuals. 
And,  if  we  do  not  retain  our  identity  in  heaven, 
we  shall  not  be  the  same  individuals  there  as  on 
earth  ;  and  if  we  do  retain  our  identity  so  as  to 
know  ourselves,  then  we  shall  be  able  to  recognize 
each  other. 

The  Bible  speaks  of  ourselves  as  being  in  heaven 
as  distinct  individuals ;  and  retaining  our  person¬ 
ality  so  as  to  know  ourselves,  we  shall  stand  face 
to  face,  know  as  we  are  known,  and  recognize  each 
other.  Upon  personal  identity  we  predicate  the 
personal  recognition  of  friends  in  heaven  ;  and  the 
argument  has  all  the  force  that  logic  can  give  it, 
and  is  only  surpassed  by  the  teachings  of  revelation. 

3.  The  affections  of  the  soul,  which  God  has 
planted  in  our  bosoms,  lead  us  to  hope  for  the 
future  recognition  of  friends.  These  affections  are 
among  the  purest  sentiments  of  the  mind;  and 
constituting  a  part  of  our  spiritual  being,  the  soul 
cannot  exist  hereafter  without  them.  It  is  this 
affectional  nature  that  makes  us  angelic  and  heav¬ 
enly.  In  the  future  life,  these  affections  will, 


IN  THE  FUTUEE  STATE. 


-27 


doubtless,  be  purified  and  more  exalted;  but  we 
rationally  infer  that  we  shall  possess  them  in  heaven. 
If  not,  the  holiest  and  divinest  part  of  our  being 
will  be  torn  from  us,  and  if  we  do  retain  them, 
we  shall  certainly  seek  for  the  communion  of  loved 
ones.  The  mother  will  desire  to  see  her  child,  and 
it  will  be  no  heaven  of  happiness  to  her,  if  God 
does  not  satisfy  that  desire.  Both  reason  and  reve¬ 
lation  clearly  indicate  that  families  will  again  be 
reunited  in  the  heavenly  world. 

They  will  meet,  not  with  the  passions  and  imper¬ 
fections  of  earth,  but  as  redeemed  and  glorified 
beings,  with  refined,  exalted  and  spiritual  natures. 
And  thus  our  heavenly  Father  will  satisfy  this 
pure  desire  of  the  soul.  He  has  not  planted  this 
longing  for  reunion  in  heaven,  within  the  human 
breast,  merely  to  disappoint  it.  He  never  would 
have  kindled  such  a  desire  in  our  hearts,  had  he 
not  intended  to  satisfy  it.  This  thought  of  reunion 
comforts  us  in  our  affliction,  and  reconciles  us  to 
the  providences  of  God.  We  feel  that  our  dear 
ones  have  only  gone  before  us  to  the  spirit  world  ^ 
and  that  in  God’s  own  good  time,  we  shall  rejoin 
them  to  part  nevermore. 

SCRIPTURAL  ARGUMENT. 

Having  thus  briefly  stated  the  philosophica 


28 


EECOGNITION  OF  FRIENDS 


argument  in  proof  of  the  future  recognition  of 
friends,  we  ask  the  reader’s  attention  to  the  teach¬ 
ings  of  the  Scriptures  in  regard  to  this  subject. 

As  we  do  not  propose  to  introduce  every  passage 
where  allusion  is  made  to  this  doctrine,  only  such 
Scriptures  will  be  referred  to  as  have  a  direct 
bearing  upon  the  topic,  and  where  the  sentiment 
is  clearly  taught.  We,  therefore,  ask  the  reader’s 
attention  to  the  following  language  of  the  Savior. 
“  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will 
come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that 
where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also.”  —  John  xiv.  3. 
To  appreciate  the  meaning  of  this  language,  we 
must  remember  the  circumstances  under  which  it 
was  uttered.  Christ  was  about  to  leave  his  disci¬ 
ples  and  enter  the  heavenly  state,  and  though  they 
should  seek  him,  y^etthey  would  not  find  him.  This 
intelligence  very  naturally  brought  sorrow  to  the 
hearts  of  the  disciples.  Their  Lord  and  Master 
comforted  them  by  the  following  language  :  “  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled  ;  ye  believe  in  God, 
believe  also  in  me.”  In  my  Father’s  house  are 
many  mansions  ;  I  am  going  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you,  or  to  make  ready  to  receive  you,  that  where  I 
am,  there  ye  may  be  also. 

This  was  said  to  calm  the  troubled  hearts  of  the 
disciples,  who  were  made  sad  by  the  thought  of 


IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


29 


separation  ;  but  how  could  they  be  comforted 
except  by  the  assurance  that  they  should  rejoin 
their  master  again  ?  The  passage  clearly  teaches 
this;  “I  will  receive  you  unto  myself.”  When 
Jesus  should  receive  his  disciples  unto  himself^  they 
certainly  would » meet  together.  “That  where  I  am, 
there  ye  may  be  also.”  This  plainly  teaches  a 
reunion  after  death,  for  Christ  was  to  be  separated 
from  his  friends  by  death,  and  the  idea  is  that  the 
separation  would  be  brief.  He  was  to  go  before 
and  make  ready  to  receive  them  unto  himself^  that 
where  he  was,  they  might  be  also.  He  was  to 
receive  them  as  the  same  individuals,  whom  he  left 
on  earth.  They  would  retain  their  own  individ¬ 
uality  and  identity,  so  that  where  he  was,  they 
might  be  there  also.  They  would  be  in  each 
other’s  presence,  and  enjoy  communion  together. 
This  passage  clearly  teaches  a  future  recognition  of 
each  other.  ^  • 

Again :  The  language  which  Jesus  addressed 
to  Martha,  teaches  a  happy  reunion  after  death. 
“  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Thy  brother  shall  rise 
again.”  —  John  xi.  23.  The  object  of  this  lan¬ 
guage  was  to  comfort  Martha  and  Mary,  who- 
mourned  the  death  of  their  brother.  While  bowed 
in  affliction,  Jesus  uttered  words  of  consolation, 
saying,  “  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again.”  But  of 


30 


RECOGNITION  OF  FRIENDS 


what  particular  interest  could  his  resurrection  be 
to  them,  if  they  never  met  him  again  ?  How  could 
his  resurrection  be  a  source  of  comfort  to  them,  if 
they  were  to  be  forever  separated  ?  Jesus  comforted 
them  by  the  assurance  that  the  separation  which 
had  taken  place,  (and  which  was  the  occasion  of 
their  sorrow)  was  not  endless  in  duration.  Had  he 
taught  a  different  sentiment,  they  could  have  ‘found 
no  comfort.  If  he  should  rise,  and  they  never  meet 
him,  it  would  be  practically  the  same  to  them  as 
though  he  never  rose  from  the '  dead !  They 
mourned  because  they  were  separated  by  deaih, 
and  the  only  sentiment  adequate  to  their  wants, 
which  alone  could  comfort  them  was,  that  the  sepa¬ 
ration  which  had  taken  place,  should  not  be  endless ! 
Jesus  comforted  the  bereaved  sisters  by  the  assu¬ 
rance  that  they  should  see  their  brother  again. 
Here  the  doctrine  of  future  recognition  is  taught. 
If  they  should  meet  and  know  each  other,  why 
should  not  others  do  the  same? 

Another  portion  of  Scripture  which  clearly 
teaches  reunion  of  friends  after  death,  is  found 
in  Matt.  xxvi.  29,  and  reads  as  follows:  “But  I 
say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this 
fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day,  whan  I  drink  it 
new  with  you  in  my  Father’s  kingdom.”  Jesus 
addressed  this  language  to  his  disciples  a  short 


IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


31 


time  previous  to  his  death — knovring  that  he  was 
soon  to  depart  from  them,  he  instituted  the  supper 
of  remembrance  for  their  observance.  While  bow¬ 
ing  around  the  table  of  the  holy  communion,  the 
Master  informed  them  of  the  separation  which  was 
about  to  take  place,  and  that  they  would  never 
meet  again  on  earth,  under  the  same  circumstances. 
“  I  will  not  drink,”  he  says,  “  henceforth  of  this 
fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new 
with  you  in  my  Father’s  kingdom.”  Jesus  was 
soon  to  be  cruqified,  and  separated  from  his  disci¬ 
ples,  but  his  language  shows  clearly  that  they 
should  meet  again.  He  would  not  drink  of  the  fruit 
of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  he  should  drink 
it  new  with  them  in  the  Father’s  kingdom.  This 
new  wine  referred  to  the  sublime,  spiritual  enjoy¬ 
ments  which  God’s  kingdom  would  furnish,  to  the 
superlative  joys  which  they  would  experience  in 
communing  together  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.  The 
sentiment  clearly  and  distinctly  taught  is,  that  they 
should  all  meet  together  again  in  the  Father’s  king¬ 
dom,  and  drink  new  wine  there.  “Until  that  day 
when  1  drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father’s  king¬ 
dom.”  They  would  therefore  recognize  each  other 
in  the  heavenly  kingdom.  The  doctrine  of  future 
recognition  of  each  other  is  plainly  taught. 

Again,  Paul  says:  “For  now  we  see  through  a 


32 


RECOGNITION  OF  FRIENDS 


glass  darkly,  but  then  face  to  face ;  now,  I  know 
in  part,  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I  am 
known.”  The  apostle  here  contrasts  the  imper¬ 
fections  of  earth  with  the  glories  of  heaven.  While 
in  this  state  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  we  see 
things  obscurely,  we  cannot  now  understand  all  of 
God’s  arrangements,  but  then  —  hereafter,  face  to 
face,  we  shall  comprehend  more  and  know  even 
as  we  are  known.  We  shall  understand  what  is 
now  imperfectly  and  obscurely  seen.  There  we 
shall  be  face  to  face,  which  certainly  teaches  that  we 
shall  be  together,  and  clearly  implies  that  we  shall 
recognize  each  other. 

Again,  the  reunion  of  friends  after  death  is  taught 
in  Paul’s  First  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  where 
he  utters  words  of  comfort  to  those  mourning  the 
loss  of  friends.  Comfort  can  only  be  imparted  by 
the  assurance  of  a  happy  reunion  in  heaven.  Paul 
gave  this  comfort  and  assurance  in  the  following 
language:  “But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be 
ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them  which  are 
asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not  even  as  others  which 
have  no  Lope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died 
and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him.”  Some  sorrowed 
because  they  had  no  hope  of  reunion,  but  Paul 
would  not  have  his  brethren  sorrow  thus.  Those 


IN  THE  FUTURE  STATE. 


33 


who  had  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus,  God  would  bring 
with  him.  These  were  comforting  words.  “  Where¬ 
fore  comfort  one  another  with  these  words.”  They 
were  comforted  by  the  thought  that  the  separation  • 
which  had  caused  their  sorrow  would  not  be  end¬ 
less.  God  would  bring  them  with  Jesus ;  “  And 
so,”  he  adds,  “  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lordy 
They  would  be  with  their  Lord  in  heaven,  as 
glorified  and  immortal  beings,  and  recognize  each 
other  there. 

Thus  reason  and  revelation  clearly  sustain  the 
doctrine  of  future  recognition  of  friends.  It  would 
be  no  heaven  of  happiness  to  us,  if  our  loved  ones 
are  forever  absent — 

“  Without  them,  heaven  would  droop  with  woe, 

And  be  like  earth,  a  vale  of  tears.” 

“  How  could  I  tread  the  hallowed  plain 
Where  God,  and  Christ,  and  angels  are— 

Or,  how  coaid  heaven  to  me  be  gain, 

Unless  my  friends  are  with  me  there  ?  ” 

Clothed  with  a  spiritual  body  in  the  immortal 
world,  we  shall  have  form  there  as  here,  for  there 
is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  ^a  spiritual  body. 
It  is  first  that  which  is  natural,  and  afterwards  that 
which  is  spiritual.  There  must  be  form  even  to  a 
spiritual  body.  We  cannot  conceive  of  individual 
3 


34 


KECOGXITION  OF  FKIENDS 


existence  without  form.  The  argument  to  our  own 
mind  is  conclusive,  and  the  doctrine  established  is 
full  of  consolation  for  the  bereaved  and  sorrowing 
children  of  earth. 


“Worn  and  weary,  of&  the  pilgrim 
Hails  the  setting  of  the  sun ; 

For  his  goal  is  one  day  nearer. 

And  his  journey  nearly  done. 

Thus  we  feel  when  o’er  life’s  desert, 
Heart  and  sandal  fiore  we  roam ; 

As  the  twilight  gathers  o’er  us, 

We  are  one  day  nearer  home. 

“Nearer  home!  Yes,  one  day  learer 
To  our  Father’s  house  on  high  — - 
To  the  green  fields  and  the  fountains 
Of  the  land  beyond  the  sky ; 

For  the  heavens  grow  brighter  o’er  us. 
And  the  lamps  hang  in  the  dome, 
And  our  tents  are  pitched  still  closer. 
For  we’re  one  day  nearer  home.” 


PROGRESS  IN  THE  FUTURE  LIFE. 


The  doctrine  of  progression  after  death,  we 
cherish  as  being  both  eminently  a  philosphical 
and  Christian  sentiment.  Indeed,  with  a  correct  defi- 
nition  of  terms,  we  can  no  more  doubt  this  doctrine, 
than  we  can  the  soul’s  existence  itself.  When  we 
speak  of  progression,  we  mean  the  growth  and 
expansion  of  the  mental  and  moral  nature  of  man. 
This  embraces  a  development  of  the  moral  and  spir¬ 
itual  faculties  of  the  soul,  an  expansion  of  the  intel¬ 
lectual,  emotional  and  affectional  nature,  which  con¬ 
stitutes  the  image  of  God  in  which  man  was  created. 
By  progression  in  the  future  world,  we  mean  that 
’man  will  acquire  knowledge  there,  and  continue  to 
learn,  advance  to  higher  planes  of  thought  and 
broader  fields  of  observation,  and  thus  be  contin¬ 
ually  enlarging  his  mental  and  spiritual  horizon. 


36 


PROGRESS  IN  THE 


He  will  continue  to  know  more  of  God,  of  his  plans, 
the  operations  of  his  government,  and  what  we  are 
now  pleased  to  call  the  mysterious  ways  of  Provi¬ 
dence,  and  thus  go  onward  and  upward  throughout 
the  boundless  ages  of  eternity.  These  ideas  of  pro¬ 
gression  we  have  entertained  ever  since,  we  had  any 
rational  conception  of  the  faculties  of  man’s  nature, 
and  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  Vfe  use  the  term 
soul  here,  as  embracing  the  rational  and  spiritual 
nature  of  man,  and,  therefore,  progression  and  the 
immortality  of  the  soul  are  inseparable. 

If  man  now  possesses  an  immortal  nature,  it  will 
be  essentially  the  same  in  the  future  world  as  here. 
In  fact,  we  cannot  speak  of  the  immortality  of  his 
nature,  without  admitting  the  personality  of  his 
being,  in  the  future  life.  He  must  be  immortal  to 
retain  his  identity  and  individuality,  and  to  lose 
them,  it  will  not  be  the  same  person  there  as  here. 
If,  when  man  passes  into  the  future  state,  he  does  not 
know  himself  as  the  same  individual  there,  as  here, 
he  loses  his  identity  and  personality,  and  conse¬ 
quently  it  is  a  new  creation  —  a  new’  race  of  beings. 
But  if  man  is  now  endowed  with  an  immortal  nature, 
we  believe  he  ever  carries  along  wdth  him  progres¬ 
sive  powers  and  elements.  If  he  is  not  immortal 
now’  we  cannot  well  conceive  w’hen  he  will  ever 
t.-vcome  so.  We  know’  of  no  change  through  which 


FUTURE  LIFE. 


37 


he  will  pass  that  will  confer  immortality  upon  hinj 
If  he  has  not  now  an  immortal  nature,  death  canno. 
confer  immortality  upon  him.  What  we  call  death, 
is  simply  disconnecting  the  immortal  and  spiritual 
nature,  from  the  earthly  and  material  organization; 
but  we  do  not  understand  that  this  process  works 
any  essential  change  in  the  original  faculties  of  the 
soul,  or  the  constituent  elements  of  man’s  spiritual 
being.  This  immortal  nature  being  now  progressive, 
it  legitimately  follows  that  it  will  continue  to  unfold, 
enlarge  and  expand,  and,  therefore,  that  we  shall 
progress  forever. 

To  this  immortal  part  of  man,  belong  all  the  facul¬ 
ties  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  Being  inhe¬ 
rent  to  this  nature,  they  grow  with  its  growth  and 
strengthen  with  its  strength,  and  consequently  man 
will  always  seek  to  acquire  knowledge,  to  learn,  to 
advance  beyond  present  attainments,  and  this  we  call 
progression.  The  laws  which  govern  the  human 
mind  will  be  essentially  the  same  in  the  future  world 
as  in  this  life.  Wisdom  and  knowledge  will  not  be 
poured  into  the  soul  in  a  moment,  so  that  man  will 
reach  perfection  at  once.  We  have  no  reason  for  sup¬ 
posing  that  the  mind  will  be  instantaneously  flooded 
with  all  truth.  Growth  and  development  is  the 
law  which  governs  the  mental  and  moral  powers  of 


38 


PROGRESS  IN  THE 


man,  and  it  finds  a  correspondence  in  nature.  It  is 
first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear.  This  is  the  arrangement  of  Providence  in 
every  department  of  life.  The  immortal  powers 
man  now  possesses  are  governed  by  this  law  of 
development  and  growth,  so  that  he  is  lifted  up  to 
higher  attainments,  and  grasps  more  'comprehensive 
principles  and  broader  truths.  From  this  law,  we 
argue  progression  here  and  hereafter.  We  use  these 
terms  “  here  and  hereafter”  agreeably  to  the  com¬ 
mon  use  of  language,  but  really  with  God  there  is 
no  hereafter,  and  the  soul,  if  immortal,  is  now  in  an 
immortal  world,  its  present  law  of  growth  and 
expansion  is  an  inherent  law  of  its  nature,  and  man, 
therefore,  w'ill  progress  forever. 

The  capability  of  the  soul  to  improve,  advance 
and  progress,  implies  the  divine  purpose  in  this 
regard  ;  for  God  never  would  have  endowed  man 
with  capabilities  which  He  did  not  intend  to  be 
used.  The  very  existence  of  the  capacities  for 
improvement,  indicates  the  intention  of  Deity  in 
their  gift.  They  are  not  to  lie  dormant,  but  are 
designed  to  be  used.  God  having  made  this  immor¬ 
tal  nature  with  powers  to  grow  and  faculties  to 
advance  forever,  pre*supposes  that  He  intended  man 
should  always  be  a  progressive  being. 


FUTURE  LIFE. 


39 


Besides,  we  know  now,  coinp.iratively  speaking, 
blit  little.  Oar  vision  is  circumscribed,  our  knowl¬ 
edge  is  limited,  clouds  of  darkness  and  ignorance 
bound  the  horizon  of  our  mental  and  spiritual  \’ision. 
We  see  through  a  glass  darkly.  We  understand 
but  little  of  the  ways  of  God  ;  his  plans  seem  to  us, 
often,  dark  and  mysterious.  We  cannot  suppose 
that  we  shall  always  be  kept  in  such  darkness  and 
mystery — that  we  shall  spend  an  eternity  in  such 
doubt  and  ignorance.  Heaven  itself,  under  such 
circumstances,  would  be  no  very  desirable  state,  and 
we  cannot  conceive  that  an  all-wise  and  benevolent 
God,  can  have  any  good  object  in  continuing  immor¬ 
tal  souls  in  such  darkness  and  ignorance.  God  will 
rather  advance  these  souls,  by  unfolding  his  plans 
and  revealing  what  now  appears  so  dark  and  myste¬ 
rious  in  his  providence.  And  this  state  of  progres¬ 
sion  will  unquestionably  be  a  source  of  happiness. 
Every  advancing  step  we  take  in  wisdom,  virtue,  and 
knowledge,  brings  to  us  pleasure,  and  contributes  to 
our  enjoyment.  This  unfolding  process  will  add  to 
our  spiritual  felicity  in  the  immortal  vrorld.  Viewed 
in  this  aspect,  heaven  becomes  to  us  eminently  desir¬ 
able  and  attractive.  We  derive  gratification  and 
happiness  through  the  acquisition  of  knowledge. 
And  the  more  we  ieirn  of  God,  and  know  and 
understand  Him,  the  happier  shall  we  become.  We 


40 


PROGRESS  IN  THE  FUTURE  LIFE. 


shall  know  God  more  perfectly  in  the  future  life, 
than  now,  and  consequently  shall  be  happier  in  that 
world  than  on  the  earth.  And  continuing  to  pro¬ 
gress  forever,  there  will  be  a  corresponding  increase 
of  spiritual  enjoyment  and  felicity. 

“  In  the  broad  fields  of  heaven. 

In  the  immortal  bowers, 

By  life’s  clear  river  dwelling, 

Amid  undying  flowers,  — 

There  hosts  of  beanteons  spirits. 

Fair  children  of  the  earth. 

Linked  in  bright  bands  celestial, 

Sing  of  their  human  birth. 

“  They  sing  of  earth  and  heaven,  — 

Divinest  voices  raise 
To  God,  their  gracious  Father, 

Who  called  them  to  the  skies  ; 

They  are  all  there,  —  in  heaven,  — 

Safe,  safe  and  sweetly  blest ; 

No  cloud  of  sin  can  shadow 
Their  bright  and  holy  rest.” 


CONSOLATION  IN  BEREAVEMENT. 


It  is  a  hard  thing  to  yield  up  our  little  ones  to 
the  embrace  of  death,  and  to  see  those  dear  forms, 
once  so  animate  with  life,  and  that  we  have  pressed 
so  tenderly  and  lovingly  to  our  bosom,  cold  in 
the  arms  of  the  great  Destroyer.  It  is,  indeed,  an 
unwelcome  guest  that  comes  to  our  homes  and 
bears  away  the  child  of  our  love,  it  may  be  the 
hrst  born  that  awoke  so  many  hopes  in  our  hearts, 
—  and  thus  extinguishes  the  light  of  our  dwelling, 
and  fills  our  soul  with  anguish.  The  stroke  seems 
to  us  at  first  terribly  severe,  and  while  blinded  by 
our  tears,  and  stunned  by  our  sorrow,  and  heavy  of 
heart,  we  stagger  beneath  the  burden  thus  imposed 
upon  us.  None  can  fully  know  the  intensity  of 
that  sorrow,  but  those  who  have  been  called  to  the 
trial. 

But  great  as  is  our  sufferuig,  the  Gospel  brings 
consolation  in  this  bereavement,  and  it  is  our  privi- 
3a 


42 


CONSOLATION  IN  BEREAVEMENT. 


lege  to  feel  that  our  children  have  passed  on  to  a 
higher  life,  and  a  fairer  and  better  land  —  that 
they  have  gone  to  the  heavenly  home,  and  that 
Jesus  has  welcomed  them  to  his  loving  arms.  We 
should  remember  that  “  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  God,”  and  that  our  children,  whom  the  good 
Father  has  taken,  are  not  lod  to  us,  but  have  only 
passed  on  before  to  the  heavenly  world,  and  that 
they  may  be  the  first  to  welcome  us  among  the 
shining  ones  in  heaven.  Mourn  their  loss  we  must, 
but  we  should  never  murmur  against  God,  nor 
fault  the  divine  arrangements.  Our  Father  knows 
when  it  is  best  to  call  them,  and  thus  He  draws 
us  through  our  affections,  nearer  to  Himself  and 
heaven,  where  our  treasures  are.  And  shall  we 
murmur  that  our  children  live  with  the  crowned 
immortals?  Shall  we  complain  that  they  are  trans¬ 
planted  from  earth  to  heaven  ?  Let  us  think  of 
them,  not  as  being  dead,  but  as  alive  unto  God, 
and  as  living  in  heaven, 

“  Waiting  our  arrival  there.” 

We  give  the  following  words  of  consolation  from 
one  who  has  been  bowed  in  sorrow  and  comforted 
in  affliction:  “Does  no  one  else  love  our  children 
but  ourselves?  Are  we  to  employ  our  love  as 
chains  and  bonds,  that  we  may  bind  them  forever 


CONSOLATION  IN  BEREAVEMENT.  43 

to  the  earth  ?  Shall  we  girdle  them  with  our 
selfishness?  Were  they  sent  into  life  as  into  a 
campaign  ?  and  shall  we  mourn  that  the  battle  is 
quickly  fought,  so  that  it  be  victorious  ?  W ere 
they  sent  into  life  scholars  and  apprentices?  and 
shall  we  mourn  that  their  apprenticeship  is  so  soon 
ended,  and  their  indentures  broken ;  that  they  are 
so  soon  graduated,  and  their  diplomas  awarded  ? 
I  have  never  seen  any  man  hanging  crape  upon 
trees,  because  the  blossoms  had  fallen  that  the  fruit 
might  swell ;  but  I  see  people  putting  crape  upon 
their  doors  and  upon  their  own  persons,  because 
summer  has  come  sooner  to  their  children  and 
'their  companions  than  they  thought.  The  advance 
of  summer  is  not  terrible  in  the  natural  world  ; 
why  should  the  advance  of  heaven  be  terrible  ?  * 

What  copious  tears  we  shed  because  God  will 
bring  up  our  babes  for  us !  With  what  frantic 
sorrow  do  we  beat  ourselves,  because  our  heart- 
companions  are  suddenly  translated  into  all  honors, 
and  nobleness,  and  purity,  and  ecstacy  of  joy ! 
When  the  golden  gates  are  opened,  and  our 
beloved  ones  pass  through,  we  may  be  sad  that  we 
are  left  in  the  drear  wilderness,  but  not  that  they 
have  entered  the  city  of  their  coronation!  We  may 
mourn  that  we  are  alive,  but  not  that  they  are 
dead.  Living  is  death  :  dying  is  life.  We  are  not 


44 


co:nsolatiox  in  bereavement. 


what  we  appear  to  be.  On  this  side  of  the  grave 
we  are  exiles,  on  that  citizens;  on  this  side  orphans, 
on  that  children ;  on  this  side  captives,  on  that 
freemen  ;  on  this  side  disguised,  unknown,  on  that 
disclosed  and  proclaimed  as  the  sons  of  God  ?  If  wo 
could  but  break  down  by  our  faith  and  imagination 
the  barrier  which  our  senses  interpose  ;  if  we  could 
but  walk  the  garden  road,  and  move  through  the 
celestial  air,  beholding  the  fulfillment  of  the  earthly 
promise,  witnessing  the  perfection  of  what  we 
knew  in  error  and  confusion,  the  ripening  of  that 
which  we  knew  in  the  sour  and  hard  ;  if  we  could 
but  assure  ourselves  of  the  lustrous  beauty,  the 
glorious  largeness  and  liberty,  the  wonderful  purity 
and  joy,  of  those  whom  God  hath  called  and  crowned 
with  immortality;  unless  we  are  petrified  with  self¬ 
ishness,  we  would  lay  aside  our  sorrow  in  over- 
measure,  and  break  forth  with  thanksgiving.  Since 
only  days  and  weeks  are  between  us  and  those  who 
have  gone  before,  since  joj^  and  sorrow  alike,  and 
the  w^bole  course  of  earthly  experience,  are  bearing 
us  straight  onward  to  the  same  abode,  it  would 
seem  the  very  wanton  ness  of  unregulated  grief, 
the  very  fantasy  of  earthly  folly,  not  to  find  conso¬ 
lation  and  patience,  yea,  and  a  sobered  gladness, 
that  we  are  known  in  heaven  by  our  forerunners. 
Children  are  the  hands  b}^  which  we  take  hold  of 


CONSOLATION  IN  BEREAVEMENT. 


45 


heaven.  By  these  tendrils  we  clasp  it  and  climb 
thitherward.  And  why  do  we  think  that  we  are 
separated  from  them?  We  never  half  knew  them, 
nor  in  this  world  could.  Until  they  die,  men  are 
not  in  a  condition  to  be  known.  That  which  belongs 
to  them,  does  not  come  to  them  in  this  world. 
We  are  kept  from  each  other  while  yet  we  live 
together  in  life.” 

The  child  whose  form  we  have  carried  to  the 
cold  grave,  is  not  there.  It  lives  unto  God.  We 

should  not  think  of  the  dear  one  as  dead  or  lost  to 
us,  only  as  having  passed  on  before  us  to  the  heav¬ 
enly  world. 

“  I  cannot  make  him  dead ! 

His  fair  sunshiny  head 

Is  ever  hounding  round  my  study  chair ; 

Yet,  when  my  eyes,  now  dim 
With  tears,  I  turn  to  him. 

The  vision  vanishes— he  is  not  there! 

“I  know  his  face  is  hid 
Under  the  coffin  lid  ; 

Closed  are  his  eyes ;  cold  is  his  forehead  fair  ; 

My  hand  that  marble  felt ; 

O’er  it  in  prayer,  I  knelt ; 

Yet  my  heart  whispers  that— he  is  not  there! 

“1  cannot  mal^e  him  dead 
When  passing  by  his  bed. 

So  long  watched  over  with  parental  care, 

My  spirit  and  my  eyes 
Seek  it  inquiringly. 

Before  the  thought  comes  that  he  is  not  there! 


46 


CONSOLATIOX  IN  BEREAVEMENT 


“  When  at  the  day’s  calm  close, 
Before  we  seek  repose, 

I'm  with  his  mother,  offering  up  our  prayer, 
What’er  I  may  be  saying 
I  am  in  spirit  praying 

For  our  boy’s  spirit ;  though— he  is  not  there  1 

“  Not  there  ’  — where  then  is  he  ? 
The  form  I  used  to  see 
Was  but  the  raiment  that  he  used  to  w'ear : 

The  grave  that  now  doth  press 
Upon  that  cast-off  dress. 

Is  but  his  wardrobe  locked— he  is  not  there  ! 

“  He  lives  !  In  all  the  past 
He  lives  ;  nor  to  the  last, 

Of  seeing  him  again  will  I  despdr  ; 

In  dreams  I  see  him  now  ; 

And  on  his  angel  brov/, 

I  see  it  written,  ‘Thoushalt  see  me  there.’ 

“  Yes,  we  all  live  to  God  ! 

Father,  thy  chastening  rod 
go  help  us,  thine  afflicted  ones,  to  bear. 

That,  in  the  spirit  land, 

Meeting  at  thy  right  hand, 

’Twill  be  our  heaven  to  find  that— he  is  there."'^ 


NATURE  AND  PROVIDENCE. 


"VYe  sometimes  meet  with  those  who  tell  us  that 
death  is  not  a  providence  of  God.  They  affirm 

that  the  world  is  governed  by  natural  laws,  and 
that  God  hath  nothing  to  do  with  sending  death 

into  the  world  ;  and  some  even  go  so  far  as  to  tell 

* 

us  that  people  should  not  die,  certainly  they  should 
not  die  young,  nor  even  in  middle  life,  and  that 
children  would  not  die,  if  only  parents  fulfilled  the 
laws  of  their  being,  and  discharged  all  their  duties 
and  obligations. 

Those who  talk  in  this  way,  point  us 
to  nature^  and  tell  us  that  it  is  unnatural  for  any 
thing  to  die  young,  —  nature  say  they,  provides 
that  everything  should  be  brought  to  maturity, 
hence  nature  teaches  that  no  human  being  should 
die  young. 

We  deny,  however,  both  the  fact  and  the  infer- 


48 


NATUUE  AND  PROVIDENCE-. 


ence.  Nature  teaches  directly  the  renerbe  of  this. 
Whenever  we  visit  an  orchard  in  midsummer  we 
see  that  much  fruit  from  the  choicest  trees  drops 
to  the  ground,  and  perishes,  and  never  comes  to 
maturity.  We  would  ask  those  who  talk  so  much 
of  nature^  what  it  teaches  us  here  ?  Why  should 
so  much  fruit  drop  from  the  trees  and  perish  ? 
This  is  the  work  of  nature,  and  yet  we  are  gravely 
told  that  nature  is  opposed  to  anything  d3dng 
before  it  comes  to  maturity.  In  every  vinej’ard 
there  is  much  choice  fruit  that  never  ripens  — 
never  comes  to  maturity.  In  every  forest  we 
find  unnumbered  trees  perishing  in  their  youth  — 
and  now,  wdiy  is  this?  It  is  claimed  that  this  is 
the  work  of  nature  and  not  of  God.  And  yet  it  is 
said  that  it  is  unnatural  for  the  young  to  die. 
We  claim  from  those  illustrations,  that  it  is  in 
perfect  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  nature, 
for  the  young  to  die. 

Here  comes  the  sweeping  tornado,  upturning 
forests  and  leveling  palaces.  If  we  follow  its 
raging  pathway,  we  shall  find  that  in  its  angry 
march,  it  has  wrenched  and  twisted  the  mighty 
oak,  and  swept  down  ten  thousand  young  trees  of 
the  wood,  and  left  death  all  along  its  track,  and 
yet  WQ  are  told  by  some  pretended  philosopher, 
that  nature  never  slays  the  young?  Whose  wmrk. 


NATURE  AND  PROVIDENCE. 


49 


then,  is  this  ?  Whence  came  the  whirlwind  and  the 
storm,  the  desolation  and  death  ?  God,  it  is  said, 
has  no  hand  in  it  —  then  nature  does  it  —  what, 
we  then  ask,  are  its  teachings  in  this  regard  ? 
The  death  of  the  young  comes  either  by  the  order 
of  God’s  providence,  or  by  the  order  of  nature. 
Who  sends  this  early  decay  and  death  to  so  much 
in  nature,  if  God  does  not?  We  urge  this  query 
upon  the  consideration  of  the  objector. 

We  may  talk  as  we  please  about  nature’s  laws, 
instead  of  the  providence  of  God,  but  we  gain  no 
relief  from  any  supposed  difficulty  ;  we  only 
attribute  the  same  action  to  blind,  dead  matter, 
instead  of  an  intelligent  cause,  and  drift  off  into 
cold  materialism,  but  we  gain  no  light  by  appeal¬ 
ing  to  nature’s  laws.  Whence  came  those  laws  ? 
we  might  ask.  And  do  laws  exist  without  a  law¬ 
giver?  If  they  are  God’s  laws,  and  He  is  work¬ 
ing  through  them  as  his  agents,  very  well ;  but 
if  not^  w/io  established  them  ?  We  leave  this  ques¬ 
tion  also  with  the  objector  for  reflection. 

What  are  called  the  laws  of  nature  are  only  the 
methods  of  God’s  action  —  the  means  he  employs 
to  carry  forward  his  plans.  We  may  fancy  that 
the  laws  of  nature  cause  vegetation  to  spring  forth, 
and  that  God  has  no  agency  in  the  work ;  but  the 
process  of  growth  is  simply  a  creation  at  each 


50 


NATUKK  AND  PKOVIDENCE. 


point,  requiring  as  much  the  presence  of  God,  as 
the  creation  of  a  planet,  or  the  revolution  of  worlds. 
And  suppose  we  gloiify  secondary  causes,  and 
deny  the  great  original  cause  of  all  things,  do  we 
gain  any  light  or  instruction  in  relation  to  the 
solemn  events  of  life,  or  what  we  call  the  provi¬ 
dences  of  God  ?  We  see  through  a  glass  darkly 
—  there  are  a  thousand  inexplicable  events,  we  are 
wrapt  in  the  same  profound  mystery,  without  any 
prospect  of  being  enlightened,  —  without  God  and 
without  hope  in  the  world,  casting  away  our  confi¬ 
dence  in  an  Infinite  Intelligence  —  in  our  God  and 
Father,  and  turning  to  blind  nature  and  her  laws, 
which  are  dark  as  midnight. 

From  such  fatuity,  we  pray  to  be  excused.  We 
prefer  to  trust  in  God  as  our  Father  and  immutable 
Friend.  And  though,  in  our  short  sightedness, 
clouds  and  darkness  seem  to  be  round  about  Him, 
and  his  ways  mysterious  ;  yet,  we  rejoice  to  know 
that  his  government  is  established  in  wisdom  and 
benevolence,  and  that  righteousness,  justice  and 
mercy  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne. 


“I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY.” 


Although  these  words  were  wrung  from  the  lips 
of  Job  under  the  most  painful  circumstances,  yet 
they  express  the  sentiment  of  every  heart  in  its 
calmest  moments  and  most  serious  meditations. . 
When  we  take  into  consideration  the  complex 
nature  of  man,  the  immortal  aspirations  and  hopes 
of  the  soul,  the  physical  pain  and  mental  sufiering 
to  which  he  is  subject,  the  severe  reverses  and  afflic¬ 
tions  of  life,  and  the  inability  of  earth  to  satisfy 
the  desires  of  his  spiritual  nature,  we  feel  individ¬ 
ually  disposed  to  exclaim  in  the  language  of  Job, 

‘‘  I  would  not  live  alway.” 

And  when  we  remember  the  disappointments  of 
earth,  and  how  many  of  our  dear  treasures  have 
passed  on  to  their  heavenly  rest,  to  mingle  with 
the  countless  throng  of  the  redeemed  around  the 
burning  throne  of  God,  we  are  impressed  with  the 


52 


I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY. 


conviction  that  this  is  not  our  home,  but  that  we 
seek  a  city  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God;  and 
we  would  not  live  alway  in  this  vale  of  tears, 
“  away  from  yon  heaven,  that  blissful  abode,”  where 
our  kindred  dwell  with  the  angels  of  light.  God, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  has 
planted  within  our  bosoms  aspirations  for  a  higher 
and  better  life,  giving  us  minds  capable  of  eternal 
progress  and  expansion,  capable  of  profound  rever¬ 
ence  and  everlasting  love,  and  therefore,  we  do  not 
desire  to  live  always  on  earth.  It  is  better,  when 
God  shall  call,  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,  and 
rejoin  our  loved  ones  on  the  heavenly  shores,  where 
we  shall  learn  more  and  more  of  God,  and  be  sur¬ 
rounded  by  those  sanctifying  influences  which  will 
bring  us  into  immediate  communion  with  our  heav¬ 
enly  Father. 

AYhen  we  say  that  we  would  not  live  alway,  we 
are  not  insensible  to  the  attractions  and  blessings 
of  this  life.  This  is,  indeed,  a  world  of  wondrous 
beauty,  containing  a  marvelous  exhibition  of  divine 
perfection.  God  has  made  everything  beautiful  in 
his  time.  He  has  spread  out  the  earth  for  our 
habitation,  and  garnished  these  heavens  with  the 
wonders  of  his  hand.  Our  heavenly  Father  has 
scattered  blessings  along  our  pathway,  and  in  every 
way  contributed  to  our  happiness.  He  has  given 


I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY. 


53 


US  social  delights,  friends  to  love,  homes  to  enjoy, 
and  hope  to  cheer  our  hearts  and  bless  our  habi¬ 
tations  ;  and  wherefore  should  a  living  man  com¬ 
plain,  and  fault  the  arrangements  of  Providence  ? 
While  then  we  say  that  we  would  not  live  alway, 
it  is  not  because  we  are  world  haters,  and  see 
nothing  beautiful  and  attractive  in  life.  There  is 
much  to  challenge  our  admiration,  and  excite  in 
our  bosoms  grateful  emotions. 

Neither  do  we  give  utterance  to  this  language, 
because  of  the  severity  of  our  earthly  trials  and 
afflictions.  These,  indeed,  at  times,  seem  insupport¬ 
able.  We  pass  through  many  trials  and  sorrows, 
that  bow  us  to  the  dust.  The  hand  of  affliction 
is  laid  upon  us,  and  our  strength  becomes  weakness. 
Afflictions  are  meted  out  to  all ;  but,  when  viewed  in 
the  light  which  streams  from  the  gospel,  and  we 
remember  that  they  come  by  the  order  of  Provi¬ 
dence,  and  are  designed  for  our  moral  and  spiritual 
good,  we  feel  that  they  will  work  out  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  These 
chastisements  are  designed  to  discipline  us,  to  turn 
our  thoughts  towards  God  and  bring  us  into  com¬ 
munion  with  him,  so  that  we  feel  that  these 

“  Severe  afflictions 
Not  from  the  ground  arise,” 


54  I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY, 

I 

But  that  often 

“  Celestial  benedictions 
Assume  this  dark  disguise,” 

God  permits  these  trials  for  some  wise  and  benev¬ 
olent  purpose,  and  we  bow  in  resignation  to  the 
Divine  arrangement,  and  say,  “  The  Lord’s  will  be 
done.” 

We  would  not  live  always  on  earth,  because  we 
would  rejoin  our  kindred  in  the  immortal  world. 
Here  families  are  separated,  and  homes  are  made 
desolate  by  death.  The  destroying  angel  enters 
every  dwelling,  and  in  every  house  there  is,  at  least, 
one  “  vacant  chair.”  Many  of  our  kindred  have 
passed  on  to  “  that  bourne  from  whence  no  traveler 
returns” — the  idols  of  our  hearts  are  shattered  at  our 
feet,  and  the  dear  objects  of  our  affection  are  taken 
from  our  embrace  to  live  with  the  angels  of  light 
in  heaven.  Some  father,  mother,  sister,  brother, 
companion  or  child  has  passed  on  to  the  spirit 
land.  We  all  have  dear  treasures  in  heaven,  inviting 
as  thither,  drawing  us  through  our  affections  up  to 
the  throne  of  God.  So  strong  are  the  atjtractions  of 
heaven,  that  we  do  not  desire  to  live  on  earth  forever. 
So  strong  now  is  the  desire  to  uplift  the  veil  that 
shrouds  the  future,  that  we  sometimes  become  impa¬ 
tient  of  earth,  and  long  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ, 


I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY. 


55 


to  look  into  heaven,  to  behold  our  loved  ones  there, 
and  participate  in  the  joys  of  the  immortal  world. 
Who  then  would  live  forever  away  from  the  city  of 
our  God,  where  our  treasures  dwell,  away  from  that 
state  of  purity  and  joy  and  progress  at  the  Father’s 
right  hand  ! 

“  WTio,  who  would  live  alway !  away  from  his  God, 

Away  from  yon  heaven,  that  blissful  abode, 

Where  the  rivers  of  pleasure  flow  o’er  the  brisjht  plains, 
And  the  noontide  of  2:lory  eternally  reigns  ; 

Where  the  saints  of  all  ages  in  harmony  meet 
Their  Savior  and  brethren  transported  to  greet ; 

Where  the  anthems  of  rapture  unceasingly  roll. 

And  the  smile  of  the  Lord  is  the  life  of  the  soul.” 

The  aspirations  of  the  soul  for  immortality  lift  us 
upward,  and  in  the  secret  chambers  of  the  heart  we 
feel  that  we  would  not  live  alway  on  earth,  but 
would  pass  on  ourselves  and  rejoin  our  kindred  in 
heaven. 

We  would  not  live  alv/ay  here,  where  we  can 
understand  so  little  of  the  ways  of  Providence. 
We  now  see  through  a  glass  darkly.  Our  vision 
in  this  life,  describes  but  a' small  circle  of  the  Divine 
plan.  The  ways  of  God  seem  dark  and  myste¬ 
rious —  many  of  the  problems  of  life  are  now  inex¬ 
plicable,  In  our  short-sightedness,  we  see  things 
obscurely  —  we  do  not  grasp  all  the  Divine  plan, 
nor  fully  appreciate  the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of 


56 


I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY. 


the  Divine  economy,  for  we  now  walk  by  faith,  not 
by  sight. 

But  when  we  shall  have  “  shuffled  off  this  mortal 
coil,”  and  faith  is  lost  in  sight,  and  hope  in  fruition, 
and  we  shall  stand  “face  to  face”  with  God,  and 
Christ,  and  know  even  as  we  are  known,  we  trust 
that  we  shall  then  better  understand  what  now 
appears  so  dark  and  mysterious,  and  shall  know 
why  we  are  made  subject  to  vanity,  and  why  God 
permits  so  much  physical  and  moral  evil  in  his 
universe.  These  things  we  can  never  know  on 
earth,  but  when  our  spiritual  preceptions  are  quick¬ 
ened,  the  powers  of  the  soul  expanded,  these  myste¬ 
ries  will  be  unfolded,  and  the  dark  problems  of  life 
solved ;  and  hence  we  would  not  live  alway  in  this 
vale  of  tears ;  we  ask  not  to  stay  in  this  world  of 
Ignorance,  temptation,  and  sin,  forever. 

We  would  not  live  here  alway,  for  earth  cannot 
satisfy  the  longings  of  the  soul.  Heaven  only  can 
meet  all  its  wants,  and  fill  up  the  measure  of  its  joy. 
Our  spiritual  natures  demand  a  state  of  holiness  and 
peace,  where  we  shall  be  brought  into  more  intimate 
relations  with  our  heavenly  Father,  and  into  more 
immediate  communion  with  God,  where  we  can 
bask  in  the  sunlight  of  his  love,  and  be  refreshed  by 
the  spiritual  influences  of  heaven.  We  long  for 
heavenly  society,  for  communion  with  the  glori^ed 


I  WOULD  NOT  LIVE  ALWAY. 


57 


on  high,  and  for  that  state  of  happiness  and  pro¬ 
gress,  where  we  shall  be  filled  with  the  fullness  of 
God,  Christ  will  sup  with  us  and  we  with  him. 
Who  then  would  live  always  —  away  from  the 
purity  of  heaven,  and  the  bliss  of  the  redeemed?  - 
The  future  life  must  be  infinitely  better  than  this 
state  of  existence,  else  no  one  could  say,  “  I  would 
not  live  alway.”  If  the  future  life  were  only  a 
continuation,  or  lengthening  out  of  this  life,  and 
only  equal  to  it  in  every  respect  and  condition, 
and  we  were  to  be  surrounded  by  the  same  circum¬ 
stances  and  influences  there  as  here,  then  nothing 
would  be  gained  by  an  exchange  of  worlds,  and" 
there  would  be  no  significance  in  the  language  of 
Job.  Unless  our  condition  is  to  be  improved  here¬ 
after,  we  should  pray  to  live  here  forever.  To  say, 
therefore,  that  we  would  not  live  alway  on  earth, 
pre-supposes  a  higher  and  better  life  hereafter. 
The  soul  cries  out  for  God,  and  thirsts  for  knowl¬ 
edge  concerning  the  immortal  life,  that  it  may  be 
sustained  in  seasons  of  sorrow  and  trial.  This 
knowledge  of  God  and  promise  of  a  glorious 

I 

immortality,  can  assuage  our  sorrows,  comfort  us 

( 

in  our  afflictions,  and  support  us  in  the  solemnities  m 
of  death. 


f 


4 


LOST  A  CHILD. 


We  frequently  meet  with  parents,  who,  having 
been  bereft  of  one  or  more  of  their  little  children, 
say  that  they  have  lost  a  child,  or  they  have  lost 
so  many  children.  We  know  well  what  they 
mean.  We  know  what  a  terrible  heart-ache  they 
have  experienced  as  they  have  closed  the  eyes  of 
a  little  child  in  death,  perhaps  their  first-born  and 
only  child,  and  carried  out  that  little  form  to  the 
cold  grave.  They  have  pressed  the  last  kiss  upon 
those  cold  lips,  and  looked  for  the  last  time  on 
earth  upon  the  sweet  smiling  face  of  their  babe. 
They  find  now  sad  desolation  at  home.  It  seems 
as  though  the  light  of  .their  house  is  extinguished, 
and  their  souls  are  pierced  with  many  sorrows. 
From  the  depths  of  broken,  bleeding  hearts,  they 
say  they  have  lost  a  child.  This,  however,  we 
must  regard  as  a  mistaken  use  of  terms.  Our 


LOST  A  CHILD. 


59 


loved  ones  may  be  taken  from  us,  but  they  are  not 
lost — only  gone  before  us  to  the  spirit  world,  and 
await  our  arrival  there,  and  will  doubtless  be  among 
the  first  to  greet  us  when  we  enter  the  spirit  land. 
The  child  that  has  gone  to  dwell  in  a  foreign  land, 
or  live  in  the  palace  of  a  king,  is  not  lost  to  us. 
Neither  is  the  child  lost,  that  has  gone  to  live  with 
the  King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of  lords,  in  the 
world  of  bliss.  We  speak  of  our  children  as  being 
dead,  when  we  ought  to  think  of  them  only  as  being 
alive  unto  God.  Our  children  are  not  buried ; 
they  are  not  in  the  grave,  but  live  in  the  city  of 
our  God.  The  form  which  we  beheld  with  the 
natural  eye,  was  only  the  casket  that  contained 
the  priceless  jewel  —  the  jewel  itself  is  in  heaven. 
The  imndortal  spirit  has  become  disconnected  from 
the  material,  perishable  nature,  and  lives  forever¬ 
more.  It  is  only  the  dust  that  returns  to  the  dust 
as  it  was,  the  spirit  goes  to  the  God  who  gave  it. 
Those,  therefore,  who  have  a  real,  living  faith  in 
immortality,  a  faith  which  cleaves  the  dark  heavens, 
and  opens  a  pathway  for  light  to  stream  down 
upon  us,  from  the  burning  throne  of  God,  can  never 
lose  a  child  !  Such  never  'bury  children.  They 
should  not  be  thought  of  as  being  in  the  cold 
grave.  They  are  in  heaven,  with  God,  with 
Christ,  with  the  angels  and  glorified  and  redeemed 


60 


LOST  A  CHILD. 


souls,  and  in  the  Father’s  good  time,  we  shall 
meet  them  in  the  heavenly  home,  where  no  sigh 
shall  be  heard,  and  no  parting  word  be  spoken, 

•  loved  and  lost !  ’  why  do  w'e  call  them  lost  ? 

Because  we  miss  them  from  onr  onward  road  ? 

God’s  nnseen  angel  o’er  our  pathway  cross’d, 

Looked  on  us  all,  and  loving  them  the  most, 
Straightway  relieved  them  from  life’s  weary  load. 

They  are  not  lost ;  they  are  within  the  door 
That  shuts  out  loss,  and  every  hurtful  thing— 

With  angels  bright,  and  loved  ones  gone  before, 

In  their  Redeemer’s  presence  evermore. 

And  God  himself  their  Lord,  and  Judge,  and  King. 

And  this  we  call  a  ‘loss.’  Oh  selfish  sorrow* 

Oh,  selfish  hearts  !  Oh,  we  of  little  faith  ! 

Let  us  look  round,  some  arguments  to  borrow 
Why  we  in  patience  should  await  the  morrow, 

That  surely  must  succeed  this  night  of  death. 

g;Ay,  look  upon  this  dreary  desert  path. 

The  thorns  and  thistles  whereso'er  we  turn  ; 

What  trials  and  what  tears,  what  wrongs  and  wrath, 
What  struggles  and  what  strife  the  journey  hath ! 
They  have  escaped  from  these  ;  and  lo  !  we  mourn. 

Askjthe  poor  sailor  when  the  wreck  is  done, 

Who  with  his  treasures  strove  the  shore  to  reach, 
While  with  the  raging  waves  he  battled  on. 

Was  it  not  joy,  where  every  joy  seemed  gone. 

To  see  his  loved  ones  landed  on  the  beach  ? 


LOST  A  CHILD. 


61 


A  poor  wayfarer,  leading  by  the  hand 
A  little  child,  had  halted  by  a  well 
To  wash  from  off  her  feet  the  clinging  sand. 

And  tell  the  tired  boy  of  that  bright  land 
Where,  this  long  journey  past,  they  longed  to  dwell. 

When  lo  !  the  Lord  who  many  mansions  had 
Drew’  near  and  looked  upon  the  suffering  twain. 

Then  pitying  spake,  ‘Give  me  the  little  lad  ; 

In  strength  renewed,  and  glorious  beauty  clad. 

I’ll  bring  him  with  me  when  I  come  again.’ 

Did  she  make  answer  selfishly  and  wrong— 

‘  Nay,  but  the  woes  I  feel  he  too  must  share  ?  ’ 

Or,  rather,  bursting  into  grateful  song, 

She  went  her  way  rejoicing,  and  made  strong 
To  struggle  on,  since  he  was  freed  from  care. 

We  will  do  likewise :  death  hath  made  no  breach 
In  love  and  sympathy,  in  hope  and  trust; 

No  outward  sign  or  sound  our  ears  can  reach. 

But  there’s  an  inward  spiritual  speech 
That  greets  us  still,  though  mortal  tongues  be  dust. 

It  bids  us  do  the  work  that  they  laid  down— 

Take  up  the  song  where  they  broke  off  the  strain 
So  journeying  till  we  reach  the  heavenly  town 
Where  are  laid  up  our  treasures  and  our  crown. 

And  our  lost  loved  ones  will  be  found  again.” 


AN  ANGEL  GUEST. 


BY  MRS.  M.  A.  LIVERMORE, 


’Twas  morn  in  the  glorious  summer-time, 
The  mountain-tops  were  red, 

Each  flower  its  drooping  eye-lids  oped, 
And  raised  its  dewy  head. 

The  breeze  swept  back  its  veil  of  mist 
From  the  singing  streams  of  blue, 

And  then  went  playing  in  and  out. 

The  vine-wreathed  casement  through. 

/ 

’  Twas  on  this  glorious  summer  morn 
A  guest  to  us  was  given. 

So  wond’rous  fair,  she  almost  seemed 
A  fugitive  from  heaven. 

She  came  with  eyes  of  holiest  light. 

With  brow  serene  and  fair, 

While  from  her  tiny  infant  face 
There  beamed  a  look  of  rayer. 


THE  ANGEL  GUEST 


63 


That  sweet  wee  face,  with  wordless  plea, 
Besought  our  warmest  love  ; 

And  on  our  breast  she  nestled  down, 

As  would  a  frightened  dove. 

Our  hearts  swung  wide  to  let  her  in  — 
We  welcomed  our  fair  guest  — 

And  wondered  at  the  love  and  joy 
With  which  oar  home  was  blest. 


The  months  flew  by  on  tireless  wing. 
And  she,  the  human  flower. 
Unfolded,  ’neath  the  sun  of  love, 
More  brightly  every  hour  ; 

She  learned  the  music  of  the  birds, 
She  danced  with  streamlets  blue, 
AT^d  where  she  bore  her  smiling  face. 
She  carried  sunlight  too. 


We  marveled  at  the  holy  soul. 

That  caught  no  stain  of  sin 
From  all  the  dusty  ways  of  life 
’Twas  hers  to  travel  in. 

We  marveled  at  the  sacred  lore 
With  which  her  speech  o’erflowed. 
And  listened,  till  our  hearts  were  flred 
And  till  our  spirits  glowed. 


Alas  for  us !  the  beauteous  child 
Grew  to  our  hearts  apace  ; 

The  sun  had  ceased  to  shine,  we  thought. 
Whene’er  we  missed  her  face. 


V 


64 


THE  ANGEL  GUEST. 


And  yet,  each  kiss  upon  her  brow 
Was  mingled  with  our  tears, 
And  every  joy  her  being  gave 
Was  clouded  by  our  fears. 


For  pale  and  paler  grew  her  cheek, 

And  fainter  was  her  tread, 

’Till  scarce  the  flower  on  which  she  trod 
Bowed  down  its  little  head. 

And  from  her  glorious  eyes  there  beamed 
A  fire,  unearthly  bright ; 

While  unseen  fingers  round  her  brow 
Were  twining  heavenly  light. 


One  eve,  when  all  earth  was  calm  at  rest, 

• 

Begemmed  with  flowers  and  “  silver  dew,” 
When  moonlight  slept  upon  her  breast. 

And  bathed  it  with  its  mellow  hue  — 

With  hymn  and  prayer  upon  her  lips. 

She  laid  her  on  her  couch  to  sleep, 

While  we,  who  watched  her  breathing  low, 
Turned,  now  and  then,  aside  to  weep. 


The  smile  that  flickered  ’round  her  face 
Grew  brighter,  as  she  lay  and  dreamed. 
When,  clearer  than  the  full-orbed  moon. 
Shimmered  a  light,  that  round  her  streamed. 
Then,  did  we  catch  the  snowy  plume 
And  rustle  of  an  angel’s  wing  ? 

And,  floating  ever  high  and  higher. 

The  song  that  seraphs  only  sing  ? 


% 


THE  ANGEL  GUEST 


65 


Alas  1  we  know  not :  for  onr  eyes 
Were  dim  with  tears  we  vainly  shed  — 
We  sank  in  anguish  mutely  down, 

With  songs  of  joy  to  heaven  she  speed. 
Yet  with  our  grief  a  joy  was  blent  — 

In  sorrow  still  we  call  us  blest  — 

For  then  we  Icnew  our  hearts  and  homes 
Had  entertained  an  Angel  Guest  ! 


THE  COVERED  BRIDGE. 


Tell  the  fainting  soul  and  weary  form 
There’s  a  world  of  the  purest  bliss, 

That  is  linked  as  the  soul  and  form  are  linked. 
By  a  Covered  Bridge  with  this. 

Yet  to  reach  that  realm  on  the  other  shore. 
We  must  pass  through  a  transient  gloom. 
And  must  walk  unseen,  unhelped  and  alone 
Through  the  Covered  Bridge  — the  tomb. 

But  we  all  pass  over  on  equal  terms. 

For  the  universal  toil 
Is  the  outer  garb  which  the  hand  of  God 
Has  flung  around  the  soul. 

Though  the  eye  is  dim  and  the  Bridge  is  dark, 
And  the  river  it  spans  is  wide. 

Yet  faith  points  through  to  a  shining  mount 
That  looms  on  the  other  side. 

To  enable  our  feet  in  the  next  days’  march 
To  climb  that  golden  ridge. 

We  must  all  lie  down  for  one  night’s  rest, 
Inside  of  the  Covered  Bridge. 
iA 


V 


DIVINE  STRENGTH, 


In  this  world  of  light  and  shade,  amid  all  the 
solemn  conflicts  of  life,  when  we  are  pressed,  as  it 
were,  to  the  very  dust,  by  some  great  sorrow,  how 
blessed  is  the  assurance  that  God  is  our  strength 
and  consolation.  He  is  a  present  help  in  time  of 
trouble.  We  live  continually  beneath  his  pitying 
eye.  He  has  given  the  promise,  that  according 
to  our  day,  so  shall  our  strength  be.  He  will 
throw  around  us- the  arms  of  his  everlasting  love, 
and  support  us  in  all  our  trials.  There  is  no  con¬ 
dition  in  which  we  can  be  placed,  but  what  we 
shall  be  sustained  by  the  Infinite  presence  of  God, 
if  we  put  our  trust  in  Him.  He  will  help  us,  and 
that  right  early. 

If  protracted  sickness  come  upon  us,  in  the 
order  of  providence,  we  may  find  in  Christian  resig¬ 
nation  a  power  to  vanquish  this  affliction.  .  God 


DIVINE  STRENGTH. 


67 


will  send  .with  it  a  power  to  bear,  a  strength  and 

an  endurance  that  will  even  astonish  ourselves, 

* 

How  frequently  have  we  seen  such  exhibitions  of 
Divine  strength  upon  the  sick  couch  ?  We  have 
seen  the  strong  man  laid  low,  and  as  disease  has 
run  its  burning  finger  over  his  frame,  and  he  has 
been  prostrated  upon  his  couch  of  suffering,  God 
has  given  him  strength  for  the  trial,  and  so  mani¬ 
fested  his  goodness  to  him,  that  he  has  forgotten 
his  pain,  and  been  made  to  rejoice  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God.  And  so  will  heaven  impart  Divine 
strength  to  us  in  the  day  of  trial. 

And  when  the  greatest  sorrow  of  our  lives  comes 
upon  us,  and  we  are  called  to  see  those  dearest  to 
us  lie  down  in  death,  even  then  we  should  not 
be  vanquished  by  this  mighty  trial.  The  loved 
objects  of  our  affection  may  be  taken  from  us, 
the  dearest  idols  of  our  heart  may  be  shattered  at 
our  feet ;  some  father,  mother,  companion,  or  child, 
may  be  clad  in  the  habiliments  of  the  grave. 
There  will  be  grief  at  such  a  time,  - and  this  is 
not  forbidden ;  there  will  be  loneliness  and  yearn¬ 
ings  for  the  dear  departed,  and  these  will  be  miti¬ 
gated  by  time.  But  bereavements  should  not  crush 
us. 

/ 

“  Even  for  the  dead,  we  should  not  hind  our  souls  to  grief. 

Death  cannot  long  divide, 

For  is  it  not,  as  if  the  rose  that  climbed  the  garden  wall, 
Had  bloomed  the  other  side  ?  ” 


68 


DIVINE  STRENGTH. 


Our  friends  are  not  lost  to  us,  only  gone  before, 
and  we  shall  soon  rejoin  them,  never  to  be  sepa¬ 
rated.  Even  here,  do  we  not  often  feel  their  pres¬ 
ence  ?  Being  dead,  they  still  speak  to  us.  Does 
not  God  send  them  to  us  sometimes,  as  his  strength¬ 
ening  angels,  as  he  sent  an  angel  to  Jesus  to 
strengthen  him  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  ? 
We  should  think  of  our  departed  friends  not  as 
being  dead,  but  as  being  alive  unto  God.  Heaven 
has  given  us  this  assurance  for  our  consolation, 
and  thus  does  the  good  God  strengthen  and  com¬ 
fort  us. 

*‘.Oh,  hearts  that  never  cease  to  yearn ! 

Oh,  brimming  tears  that  ne’er  are  dried  1 

The  dead,  though  they  depart,  return 
As  if  they  had  not  died  1 

The  living  are  the  only  dead ; 

The  dead  live  —  nevermore  to  die  ; 

And  often  when  we  mourn  them  fled, 

They  never  were  so  nigh  1 

And  though  they  lie  beneath  the  waves, 

Or  sleep  within  the  churchyard  dim  — 

(Ah!  through  how  many  different  graves 
God’s  children  go  to  him) !  — 

Yet  every  grave  gives  up  its  dead, 

'Ere  it  is  overgrown  vilh  grass! 

Then  why  should  hopeless  tears  be  shed, 

Or  need  we  cry,  ‘  Alas  !,’ 


DIVINE  STRENGTH. 


69 


Or  why  should  memory,  veiled  with  gloom,  - 
And  like  a  sorrowing  mourner  craped. 

Sit  weeping  o’er  an  empty  tomb 
Whose  captives  have  escaped  I 

’Tis  but  a  mound  — and  will  be  mossed 
Whene’er  the  summer  grass  appears  ; 

The  loved,  though  wept,  are  never  lost ; 

We  only  lose  our  tears. 

Nay,  Hope  may  whisper  with  the  dead, 

By  bending  forward  where  they  are; 

But  Memory,  with  a  backward  tread, 
Commanes  with  them  afar  ! 

The  joys  we  lose  are  but  forecast. 

And  we  shall  find  them  all  once  more ; 

We  look  behind  ns  for  the  past. 

But  lo  I  ’tis  all  before  !  ” 


DEATH.  OF  CHILDREN. 


When  we  remember  how  large  a  proportion  of 
the  human  race  die  in  infancy  and  youth  ;  how 
many  hearts  are  crushed  and  hopes  blasted ;  how 
many  tears  are  shed  and  homes  made  desolate ;  the 
question  presses  itself  upon  our  attention,  Does 
death  come  to  these  millions  of  little  children  by 
the  order  of  God’s  providence?  Has  he  not  some 
great  and  Holy  purpose  in  that  short  life,  and  has 
not  even  the  death  of  the  child  some  important 
mission  to  perform  ?  It  is  the  arrangement  of  God’s 
providence  that  people  of  all  ages  shall  die,  and, 
undoubtedly  God’s  time  is  the  best  time.  Is  there 
not  much  fitness  in  the  death  of  a  little  child, 
embracing  so  much  of  angelic  sweetness  and  heav¬ 
enly  love,  dark  and  solemn  as  it  is  for  the  fond 
mother,  to  see  those  eyes  that  beamed  upon  her, 
closed  in  death,  and  to  see  that  little  form,  once  so 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 


n 


active,  straightened  for  the  grave.  It  goes  in  all 
its  beauty  and  innocence  to  the  crowned  immor¬ 
tals  in  heaven,  before  it  has  been  mocked  by  the 
world’s  pleasures,  or  tainted  by  sin.  It  goes  into 
the  presence  of  the  good  God,  and  takes  its  place 
among  the  “Shining  ones”  on  high,  robed  in  light 
and  purity,  knowing  nothing  of  the  sense  of  shame 
and  guilt.  It  goes  to  be  watched  over  by  the  angels 
of  God,  to  be  schooled  and  developed  in  heaven. 
Is  there  not  then  an  affecting  and  solemn  appropri¬ 
ateness  in  the  death  of  children?  Is  there  any¬ 
thing  to  offend  us  in  this  providence  of  God?  Many 
wonder  that  the  young  die ;  and  yet,  it  is  a  greater 
wonder  that  so  many  are  permitted  to  live  a  life 
of  sin  and  sensuality,  without  any  high  and  noble 
purpose. 

Rightly  viewed,  a  child’s  death  may  perform  as 
important  a  mission  for  us  as  its  life.  And  yet, 
it  is  often  asked  by  afflicted  parents,  “  Why  is  my 
child  taken  —  my  ,  child,  so  full  of  hope  and 
promise,*  that  might  have  been  trained  up  to  great 
usefulness,  and  been  a  bright  and  shining  light  in 
the  world  ;  while  another  child,  born  in  poverty 
and  shame,  is  spared  ?  Why  was  my  child,  so  full 
of  health,  and  strength,  and  beauty,  stricken  by  the 
hand  of  death ;  while  another,  so  weak  and  feeble, 
is  spared  to  suffer  ?  Why  are  not  those  children 


72 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 


taken,  to  whom  death  would  seem  to  be  such  a 
great  blessing?” 

While  we  do  not  grasp  all  the  Divine  plan,  nor 
comprehend  all  of  God’s  purposes ;  yet  we  are  not 
wholly  ignorant  of  the  operations  of  his  economy, 
and  may,  if  we  will,  be  profited  bj  the  lessons 
God  teaches  in  the  death  of  our  children.  Our 
children  die  to  live  again  in  heaven,  to  bloom 
in  the  paradise  of  God,  and  take  their  places  in 
angelic  circles,  to  elevate  our  hearts  to  the  throne 
of  the  Infinite,  and  bring  us  into  communion  with 
heaven.  God  designed  that  the  child’s  death  should 
perform  a  mission,  that  could  not  be  performed 
by  its  life  on  earth,  and  in  heaven  it  does  not" 
question  the  Divine  goodness,  in  removing  it  so 
early  from  this  world  of  sin  and  sufiering.  The 
death  of  a  child,  not  only  gives  us  a  better  apprecia¬ 
tion  of  the  conflicts  and  realities  of  life,  but  has  a 
subduing  influence  upon  the  roughest  nature,  and 
touches  and  softens  the  hardest  heart.  But  few 
can  look  unmoved  upon  the  calm  face  of  a  beauti¬ 
ful  child,  reposing  in  the  stillness  of  death  !  Such 
a  sight  dispossesses  death  of  gloom  and  takes  away 
the  terror  of  the  grave.  When  the  child  passes 
on  before  us  to  open  the  portals  of  immortality, 
we  feel  that  it  is  not  hard  to  die.  We  not  only 
remember  that  it  is  well  with  the  child,  but  we 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREK. 


73 


ook  up  to  God  and  inquire  whether  we  are  drifting 
to  an  eternal  sleep,  or  to  an  endless  life  !  Perhaps 
the  death  of  the  child  first  arrested  our  thoughts 
concerning  God  and  immortality, —  may  be  that  it 
served  to  open  the  dark  heavens  to  our  vision,  to 
lift  the  veil  that  we  might  see  the  glories  of  immor¬ 
tality. 

“  Is  it  well  with  the  child  ?  ”  And  she  answered, 
“  it  is  well !  ’’  How  touchingly  sublime  is  the  answer 
of  the  Shunamite  woman  to  the  servant  of  Elisha. 
And  to  tell  the  story  of  her  sorrow  is  to  relate  the 
experience  of  every  bereaved  mother.  God  had 
given  her  a  child,  to  awaken  new  affections  and 
gladden  her  home,  to  bring  out  new  aspirations, 
and  give  a  higher  purpose  and  greater  significance 
to  life.  It  seemed  as  though  an  angel  had  dropped 
from  the  skies,  to  be  watched  over  and  loved  ; 
and  this  heavenly  treasure,  in  an  earthen  vessel, 
was  dear  and  precious  to  those  parents  as  the  apple 
of  their  eye.  The  boy  went  out  into  the  field  one 
day,  and  sought  his  father  among  the  reapers  ; 
and  while  there,  as  the  history  informs  us,  he  fell 
sick,  and  said  to  his  father:  “My  head,  —  my 
head.”  Sudden  disease  smote  him,  and  the  father, 
probably  not  aware  of  the  severity  of  the  attack, 

simply  ordered  that  he  should  be  carried  home  to 

• 

his  mother ;  a  very  appropriate  place,  indeed,  for 


74  DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 

the  sick  boy.  The  mother  took  him  tenderly  in 
her  arms,  folded  him  to  her  bosom,  and  labored 
to  cool  his  fevered  brow;  but  all  effort  was  vain. 
She  watched  her  child,  saw  his  countenance  grow 
pale,  and  his  eye  dull,  and  at  noon  Dcath'came  to 
her  dwelling  to  claim  her  boy.  The  affecting  story 
informs  us  that  “  he.  sat  on  her  knee,  till  noon, 
and  then  died.” 

And  now  how  desolate  is  that  home  ?  how  sad 
and  bereaved  is  that  mother  ?  The  light  of  her 
dwelling  is  extinguished.  Her  heart  is  bowed  in 
sorrow.  And  yet,  she  is  not  in  despair  ;  she 
does  not  rail  at  Providence,  nor  murmur  at  God, 
but  when  inquired  of  whether  it  was  well  with 
the  child  ;  she  said  “  it  is  well.”  And  yet  she 
sorrowed  for  her  boy,  and  her  house  was  full  of 
mourning. 

”  It  is  well  with  the  child.”  What  a  manifes¬ 
tation  of  faith  in  the  infinite  love  of  God.  As 
though  she  had  said,  “  My  boy  is  dead,  his  presence 
will  never  more  cheer  and  gladden  my  home ;  but 
it  is  well  with  my  child.  His  sports  are  over, 
his  little  hands  are  motionless,  his  eyes  are  closed  • 
forever ;  but  it  is  well  with  my  child  ;  his  earthly 
garments  are  changed  for  the  robes  of  immortality, 
the  dark  sepulcher  will  claim  his  dust,  but  the 
spirit  has  gone  to  the  good  God,  the  Father  of  all 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 


15 


spirits.  Disease  can  never  again  smite  him,  pain 
and  suffering  can  never  reach  him  more.  He  is 
saved  from  the  evil  there  is  in  the  world,  and  has 
gone  with  unstained  robes  to  the  paradise  of  God, 
to  live  with  the  redeemed  in  heaven,  where  there 
s  no  pain  nor  death.  Yes,  it  is,  indeed,  well  with 
my  child.” 

And  is  not  this  the  experience  of  every  parent 
who  recognizes  the  overruling  providence  of  God  ? 
All  homes  are  darkened  by  the  presence  of  the 
destroying  angel. 

“  There  is  no  floc>,  however  watched  and  tended, 

But  one  dead  lamb  is  there ! 

There  is  no  fireside  howso’er  defended 
But  has  one  vacant  chair.” 

It  is  designed  that  children  shall  die.  There  is 
no  earthly  power  that  can  keep  death  at  bay, 
that  can  protect  our  homes,  and  save  our  little  ones 
from  the  change,  we  call  death,.  God  never 
designed  that  all  graves  should  be  of  the  same 
length,  that  all  should  o  down  to  the  grave  of 
the  same  age.  God  appoints  the  young  to  die. 
And  yet,  though  we  believe  death  to  be  a  blessing 
to  our  children,  we  mourn  their  departure,  when 
the  hopes  we  had  garnered  up  in  our  souls  are 
blasted,  and  our  homes  are  hushed  in  the  stillness 


76  DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 

of  death.  We  cannot  beat  back  our  tears,  when 
we  press  for  the  last  time,  the  cold  lips  of  the 
infant  dead.  And  why  should  we  attempt  to  do 
this?  We  might  as  well  attempt  to  tear  out  our 
own  hearts.  God  has  given  us  very  tender  affec¬ 
tions,  which  cling  to  our  little  ones,  and  we  can¬ 
not  but  sorrow  when  we  see  them  go  down  the 
dark  valley. 

But  we  should  weep  for  the  dear  departed  in 
the  exercise  of  Christian  faith,  which  assures  us 
that  they  have  gone  to  a  better  country,  even 
the  heavenly,  to  be  cared  for  by  celestial  beings, 
and  developed  and  schooled  amidst  heavenly  influ¬ 
ences. 

The  death  of  children  is  designed  to  perform 
an  important  mission  for  us.  In  such  seasons  of 
affliction  the  soul  instinctively  turns  towards  God, 
looks  to  him  for  strength,  feels  the  need  of  faith, 
and  asks  after  immortality.  Then  we  feel  our 

strength  to  be  weakness,  and  turn  towards  God  for 
comfort. 

The  death  of  children,  also,  gives  a  distinct¬ 
ness  and  reality  to  immortality  which  we  could 
not  otherwise  so.,  fully  appreciate.  Heaven  does 
not  seem  as  far  off  as  before.  We  feel,  at  times, 
that  we  can  almost  see  the  shining  ones  beyond 
the  golden  gates !  It  gives  reality  to  the  immor- 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 


77 


tal  world.  Heaven  is  not  a  mere  speculative 
idea.  It  becomes  so  real,  we  say  that  we  know 
that  if  the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  is 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 
The  affliction  through  which  we  pass  draws  us 
heavenward.  We  are  uplifted  through  our  affec¬ 
tions  to  the  mansions  of  bliss,  where  our  loved 
ones  dwell.  Where  our  treasures  are,  there  will 
our  hearts  be  also.  As  our  treasures  are  gathered 
in  heaven,  our  hold  on  earth  is  weakened,  and 
our  affections  are  placed  on  our  children  who 
dwell  in  the  city  of  our  God,  Many  fond 
parents  have  had  thp  gates  of  the  New  Jerusa¬ 
lem  first  opened  to  them,  by  seeing  a  beloved 
child  pass  through,  and  have  thus  been  drawn 
upward  through  their  affections.  In  this  regard 
the  child’s  death  may  perform  an  important  mission 
for  us. 

Such  afflictions  also  serve  to  reconcile  us  to 
death,  when  we  ourselves  hear  the  voice  from 
heaven,  saying,  “  Come  up  hither.”  As  one  after 
another  of  our  friends  passes  on,  we  become  more 
and  more  attracted  towards  the  spirit  world,  and 
when  our  Father  calls,  we  are  ready  to  go  and 
rejoin'  the  departed  in  heaven. 

We  should  not  think  of  our  children  as  dead, 


78 


DEATH  OF  CHILDREN. 


but  as  being  alive  unto  God. 

“  She  is  not  dead,  the  child  of  our  affection, 
But  gone  into  that  school. 

Where  she  no  longer  needs  our  poor  protection, 
And  Christ  himself  doth  rule. 

In  that  great  cloister’s  stillness  and  seclireion. 
By  guardian  angels  led, 

Safe  from  temptation,  safe  from  sin’s  pollution, 
She  lives  whom  we  call  dead.” 


They  at  last  are  safe  from  falling 
On  the  battle-field  of  life. 

Overcome,  as  thousands  have  been 
By  temptation,  care,  and  strife  ; 

And  have  died  with  hands  close  gathered 
In  the  tender  clasp  of  ours  — 

God  be  thanked  that  we  could  fold  them 
Pure  as  snow,  and  full  of  fiowers  ! 

So,  with  Love’s  divinest  token, 

Yielded  to  a  tenderer  care 
Than  the  home  below  could  give  them. 
Or  our  human  weakness  bear. 

They  are  safe  from  pain  and  sorrow  ; 

Cheerfully  we’ll  bear  the  rod, 

With  these  blossoms  safely  nurtured 
In  the  garden  of  our  God. 


DESTRUCTION  OF  DEATH. 


\ 


The  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  who  received 
not  his  doctrine  of  man,  but  by  the  revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ,  assures  us  that  the  “  last  enemy. 
Death,  shall  be  destroyed.  Christ  shall  reign  till 
he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet,  sin  shall 
be  finished,  transgression  brought  to  an  end,  ever¬ 
lasting  righteousness  brought  in,  and  there  shall 
be  no  more  death.  Blessed,  comforting  assu¬ 
rance  !  The  destroying  angel  now  hovers  over 
us  and  gathers  around  us  ;  he  is  on  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left,  doing  his  work  faithfully. 
He  is  ever  on  the  alert.  He  grasps  his  glittering 
sword  and  aims  the  fatal  dart,  and  his  victim  falls 
into  the  grave.  He  takes  the  beautiful  little  babe 
from  its  mother’s  arms,  smooths  its  sweet  face 
and  bears  it  to  the  tomb.  He  whispers  to 
sporting  youth  to  depart,  and  they  are  obedient 


80 


DESTRUCTION  OF  DEATH. 


to  his  mandate.  He  beckons  to  the  man  of  giant 
form  and  intellect  to  stop,  and  also  to  the  aged 
man — they  heed  the  call  and  totter  and  reel 
before  the  touch  of  his  icy  wand,  and  all  is  silent. 
He  comes  to  the  house  unbidden  by  man,  and  is  an 
unwelcome  guest.  He  comes  by  day  and  by  night 
—  in  sunshine  and  in  storm  —  in  judgments  amid 
forked  lightning  and  rolling  thunders.  He  walks 
upon  the  wings  of  the  wind  —  rides  upon  the 
heaving  ocean,  and  every  where  ^  strides  forth  in 
God’s  beautiful  world,  to  summon  its  inhabitants  to 
join  the  great  congregation  of  the  dead !  All  are 
passing  away. 

Turn  in  to  yonder  dwelling,  and  you  will  see 
there  companion  stooping  over  the  emaciated  body 
of  dying  companion  with  an  aching  heart,  wiping 
away  the  cold  death  sweat  from  the  brow.  A  few 
broken  sentences  are  uttered,  and  the  spirit  departs 
to  God  who  gave  it.  Look  again  and  see  that 
mother  bending,  with  tearful  anxiety,  *over  that 
once  blooming  daughter.  Disease  has  fastened  its 
death-grasp  upon  her,  and  that  once  blushing  flower 
droops  and  fades. 

This  is  no  dream  —  no  wild  vagary  of  the  imag¬ 
ination  —  but  a  solemn  reality.  But,  oh,  how  bless¬ 
ed  is  the  consolation  of  the  Word  of  Life,  that  the 
time  is  coming  when  there  shall  be  no  more  death. 


DESTRUCTION  OP  DEATH. 


81 


Death,  the  last  enemy,  shall  bejdestroyed  ;  for 
Christ  must  reign  till  he  shall  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet. 

Death  can  only  be  destroyed  by  a  resurrection 
to  immortal  life.  “  The  bitterness  of  death  is 
passed,’’  for  God,  through  Christ,  has  destroyed 
death  by  giving  to  man  a  blissful  hope  of  a  resur¬ 
rection  ;  which  hope  is  based  upon  the  resurrec¬ 
tion  of  his  Son ;  hence,  Jesus  is  our  resurrection 
and  life  ;  for  believing  in  him  we  have  life  through 
his  name.  We  are  assured  of  a  resurrection  to 
incorruptibility  and  glory.  And  trusting  in  God, 
we  can  walk  through  the  dark  valley  and  shadow 
of  death,  fearing  no  evil.  We  know  that  God  will 
never  injure,  but  will  ever  bless  us  —  we  are  the 
objects  of  his  love,  and  He  will  ever  do  us  good. 
He  is  the  inexhaustible  Fountain  of  Love ;  and 
nothing  can  separate  us  from  it.  Storms  may  rage 
and  thunders  roll,  mountains  may  shake  at  their 
foundations,  and  rocks  be  rent  asunder,  confusion 
seize  the  reins  of  government,  but  God’s  love  will 
ever  remain  the  same,  infinite,  impartial  and 
unchangeable.  Who  can  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God  and  Christ?  “I  am  persuaded  that  neither 
death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  thing,  shall  be 
5 


82 


DESTRUCTION  OF  DEATH. 


able  to  separate  us  from  the  love^of  God,  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.’’  • 


THE  LAND  OF  THE  BLESSED. 


-  There  is  a  land  where  earthly  woe, 

And  earthly  sorrow,  all  shall  cease  ; 

No  sin  shall  grieve,  no  tears  shall  flow. 

In  that  sweet  land  of  love  and  peace. 

There  is  a  sunless,  starless  sky. 

And  yet  no  darkness  there  is  found  ; 

Night  cannot  spread  her  canopy, 

Where  God’s  own  glory  shines  around. 

There  is  a  home  where  friends  shall  meet. 
And  never,  never  part  again  ; 

And  those  who  loved  on  earth,  repeat 
The  vows  they  pledged  in  sorrow  then. 

That  spirit-land  shall  ever  bloom. 

Grief  from  its  clime  be  ever  driven  ; 

Immortal  joys  pervade  that  home  :  — 

That  spirit-land,  that  home  is  heaven. 


VALUE  0F‘ CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


The  Christian  hope,  based  upon  the  promises  of 
God  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures,  is  beautifully 
adapted  to  all  the  emergencies  and  trials  of  life, 
and  is  fully  commensurate  to  the  wants  and  neces¬ 
sities  of  the  soul.  This  hope  of  the  gospel  is 
designed  for  the  afflicted  children  of  earth,  and  not 
only  pours  consolation  into  bereaved  hearts,  but 
enters  the  chamber  of  the  dying,  and  points  them 
to  heaven  as  the  home  of  the  spirit  —  to  that 
immortal  and  glorious  inheritance  —  to  that  build¬ 
ing  of  God,  that  house  not  made  with  hands,  eter¬ 
nal  in  the  heavens. 

Afflicted  and  mourning  hearts  have  clung  to  this 
Christian  hope  as  the  pearl  of  great  price,  which 
alone  can  assuage  their  grief  and  comfort  them 
while  bowed  in  sorrow  ;  and  the  dying,  through 
its  power,  have  been  wonderfully  strengthened  and 
sustained ;  even  made  to  triumph  in  the  hour  of 


84 


VALUE  OP  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


their  earthly  dissolution ;  so  that  with  surprising 
calmness  and  resignation,  they  have  bidden  adieu 
to  earth,  with  all  its  attractions,  endearments,  and 
affectionate  relations,  and  spoken  words  of  comfort 
and  cheer  to  their  weeping  and  broken-hearted 
kindred.  And  this,  because  of  their  faith  in  God 
—  in  the  paternity  of  his  character  —  the  infinite- 
ness  and  immutability  of  his  love,  and  the  hope 
of  a  glorious  immortality. 

How  many  without  God  and  without  hope  in 
.the  world,  approach  the  grave  with  fear  and  trem¬ 
bling —  in  doubt  and  anxiety  —  and  shrink  from  it 
as  from  a  terrible  calamity :  while  on  the  other 
hand,  those  who  receive  the  hope  of  the  Gospel 
and  the  promises  of  God,  as  revealed  in  the  Scrip¬ 
tures,  approach  the  grave  with  resi\^nation,  and 
talk  of  their  departure  with  a  calmness  which 
their  afflicted  friends  cannot  command.  They  even 
seem  more  happy  and  triumphant  in  death  than 
they  did  in  active  life,  and  speak  words  of  con¬ 
solation  and  comfort  to  their  weeping  kindred,  and 
as  the  shades  of  death  gather  about  them  and  their 
sensual  vision  grows  dirn,  their  spiritual  precep- 
tions  are  quickened;  they  then  stand  as  it  were 
between  two  worlds;  and  angels  gather  about-them, 
and  strengthen  them,  and  they  seem  to  hear  the 
very  music  of  heaven. 


VALUE  OF  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


85 


This  becomes  to  thousands  a  reality  in  death. 
Now  on  the  supposition  that  it  is  a  delusion^  as 
the  skeptic  aflBrms,  is  it  not  a  hlesHed  delusion  f 
And  is  it  not  better  to  feel  thus  supported,  than 
to  approach  the  grave  with  fear  and  trembling  — 
with  bitter  anguish  of  spirit  as  many  approach  it? 
Thousands  have  been  buoyed  up  and  sustained 
in  their  last  moments  by  the  Christian  hope,  and 
made  to  triumph  in  death ;  their  last  hours  on  earth 
have  been  their  happiest  hours  ;  the  glories  of 
immortality  have  burst  upon  their  vision,  and  death 
has  been  swallowed  up  in  victory. 

And  the  victory  which  has  thus  enabled  them 
to  overcome  the  world,  has  been  their  faith  in 
God,  in  Christ,  and  in  a  happy  immortality  as 
revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  Those  who  receive 
the  teachings  of  Jesus  have  this  support,  and  are 
enabled  thus  to  triumph.  They  are  calm  and  happy 
in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  their  hope,  and 
wretched  and  miserable  as  they  doubt  and  disbe¬ 
lieve. 

How  unkind  and  cruel,  therefore,  is  it  for  the 
unbeliever  to  labor  to  produce  doubt  in  the  mind 
of  a  person,  and  consequent  unhappiness ;  to  weaken 
his  faith  in  God  and  Christ  as  a  true  Teacher,  and 
in  the  religion  of  the  Bible ;  to  wrench  from  him 
his  hope  of  a  blessed  immortality,  and  to  take  away 


86 


VALUE  OF  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


the  support  he  needs  and  which  alone  can  sustain 
him  in  death ! 

Is  it  kind  to  knock  away  the  staff*  upon  which 
the  aged  man  leans,  with  trembling  limbs,  for  the 
purpose  of  witnessing  his  fall?  But  infinitely 
better  do  that  than  take  from  him  his  Christian 
hope,  that  supports  his  soul  as  he  goes  down  to 
the^shades  of  death,  and  that  will  enable  him  to 
rejoice  and  triumph  in  the  hour  of  his  earthly 
dissolution. 

It  is,  indeed,  a  cruel  hand  that  will  outstretch  itself 
to  take  away  the  hope  which  supports  man  in  life  ; 
which  comforts  him  in  affliction,  and  which  alone 
can  enable  him  to  meet  the  “  king  of  terrors”  in 
calmness  and  composure ! 

Go  to  a  man  and  weaken  his  faith  in  God,  con¬ 
vince  him  that  there  is  no  Infinite  Intelligence  — 
no  Almighty  Spirit  that  sits  at  the  helm  of  the 
universe,  directing  human  affairs,  —  that  Christ  is 
an  imposter  and  the  Bible  a  tissue  of  lies  —  and 
thus  produce  doubt  in  his  mind;  and  when  you 
have  accomplished  your  work,  you  have  the  sat¬ 
isfaction  of  knowing  that  you  make  him  wretched 
beyond  description  ;  you  take  away  the  staff*  upon 
which  he  leans,  wrench  from  him  his  hope,  and 
crush  his  spirit  to  the  dust ! 


87 


VALUE  OF  CHKISTIAN  HOPE. 

Suppose  a  steamship  which  plies  regularly  be¬ 
tween  Europe  and  America,  leaves  the  foreign 
port  at  the  usual  time,  but  fails  to  reach  our  shore 
as  expected.  Days  pass,  and  no  tidings  of  the 
vessel  reach  us,  and  many  entertain  fears  that  she 

f 

is  lost,  and  believe  that  her  passengers  have  found 
a  watery  grave,  while  others  hope  and  believe  they 
are  not  lost. 

Suppose  you  believe  that  all  on  board  this 
steamer  are  drowned,  and  that  their  friends  never 
again  will  meet  them  on  earth,  would  it  be  kind 
in  you  to  go  to  some  broken-hearted  wife,  whose 
husband  was  in  that  steamer,  and  express  to  her 
all  your  fears,  and  doubts,  and  unbelief? 

Although  nothing  has  been  heard  of  the  ship, 
yet  she,  with  others,  entertains  strong  hopes,  and 
believes  that  the  passengers  are  not  lost.  You 
now  approach  her  and  try  to  wrench  from  her 
that  hope ;  you  tell  her  that  she  is  a  foolish 
woman  to  hope  that  she  will  meet  her  compan¬ 
ion  again  ;  express  to  her  all  your  doubts  and  fears ; 
and  you  finally  succeed  in  convincing  her  that  her 
husband  is  lost  —  that  they  never  will  meet  on 
earth  again. 

Now,  having  accomplished  that  work,  do  you  feel 
any  happier  for  your  labors  ?  Have  you  con¬ 
scious  joy  and.  peace  of  mind  as  a  reward  for  your 


88 


VALUE  OF  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


deed  ?  Do  you  make  that  companion  any  hap¬ 
pier  ?  Alas  !  you  have  sent  bitterness  and  wretch¬ 
edness  to  her  heart,  and  desolation  to  her  home. 
But  that  would  be  a  merciful  and  benevolent  act, 
compared  to  his  who  should  go  to  an  individual 
with  a  strong  hope  that  he  will  live  again  with 
his  kindred  in  heaven,  and  labor  to  produce  doubt 
in  his  mind  concerning  the  Savior’s  teachings,  and 
thus  seek  to  take  from  him  his  hope  of  a  blessed 
immortality  and  a  happy  reunion  in  heaven,-  and 
remove  the  support  which  alone  can  comfort  him 
in  affliction  and  sorrow,  and  give  him  peace  and 
calmness  in  death. 

If  you  take  away  a  man’s  faith  and  hope  by 
which  he  is  enabled  to  triumph  in  death,  you 
are  more  cruel  than  though  you  had  gone  to 
the  wdfe,  in  the  cJise  just  supposed,  and  con¬ 
vinced  her  that  her  husbaftd  was  lost,  for  she 
might  herself  find  support  in  death;  but  in  this 
case,  you  remove  the  very  support  that  the  soul 
needs  in  death. 

And  this  is  the  mission  and  work  of  the  skeptic. 
He  labors  to  destroy  our  faith  in  God,  and  in 
the  religion  of  the  Bible,  to  produce  doubt  in  the 
mind  concerning  Christ  as  a  true  Teacher  sent 
of  God,  and  to  throw  the  pall  of  death  over  the 
fair  creation.  He  seeks  to  destroy  our  confidence 


VALUE  OF  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


89 


in  an  overruling  Providence,  to  weaken  our  faith 
in  an  infinite  God,  to  pluck  from  our  heart 
the  hope  of  a  happy  immortality,  to  make  us 
believe  that  Christianity  is  a  lie,  and  the  Bible 
unworthy  of  credence,  and  to  take  from  us  every 
support  in  the  hour  of  affliction  and  sorrow. 

If  we  hurl  the  Bible  from  us  and  cast  away  our 
confidence  in  God  —  reject  the  teachings  of  Christ 
and  the  Christian  hope  of  heaven  —  where  can 
we  gain  the  strength  and  consolation  which  the 
soul  needs  in  the  hour  of  adversity  ?  The  be¬ 
liever  in  Christ  and  the  religion  af  the  Bible, 
feels  this  divine  support  and  strength  —  is  com¬ 
forted  in  his  affliction,  and  dies  calmly  and  triumph¬ 
antly. 

Now,  on  the  supposition  that  this  is  all  a  delu¬ 
sion  and  superstition^  as  the  skeptic  affirms,  is  it  not 
tetter  to  be  deluded  ?  If  a  man  can  be  deluded  into 
a  state  of  calmness,  peace,  and  composure,  in  death, 
is  it  not  better  than  to  approach  the  grave  shrink- 
ingly,  wdth  a  he'art  full  of  doubt  and  fear,  and 
swelling  and  heaving  with  agonizing  emotions  ?  Is 
it  not  better  to  be  exercised  by  a  soul-sustaining 
and  comforting  hope  ? 

In  the  case  above  referred  to,  concerning  the 
steamer,  on  the  supposition  that  the  wife  had 
shared  in  the  fears  that  many  entertained,  that  the 
6a 


90 


VALUE  OF  CHRISTIAN  HOPE. 


vessel  was  lost  and  the  passengers  drowned ;  and 
believed  that  she  should  no  more  enjoy  the  society 
of  her  husband  on  earth ;  would  it  not  have  been 
proper  and  infinitely  l)etter^  in  the  absence  of  defi¬ 
nite  information  relative  to  its  fate,  to  have  sought 
to  inspire  hope  in  the  heart  of  that  companion, 
instead  of  filling  her  soul  with  doubt  and  anguish  ? 
She  should  have  been  informed  of  the  strength  of 
the  ship,  and  of  her  ability  to  contend  with  the 
storm- god  of  the  ocean.  That  wife  should  have 
been  told  of  the  skill  of  the  commander,  and  of  the 
probable  safety  of  the  steamer,  that  hope  might 
spring  up  in  her  bosom  ;  and  just  in  proportion  to 
the  strength  of  her  hope,  would  have  been  her 
calmness  and  peace. 

And  so  in  relation  to  the  Christian  hope  of 
immortality.  Is  it  not  better  to  receive  that  hope, 
based  upon  the  promise  of  God  and  the  religion 
of  the  Bible,  and  be  comforted  in  affliction  and 
supported  in  death,  than  to  reject  it,  and  be  unpre¬ 
pared  for  the  sorrows  of  life  and  the  solemnities  ot 
death. 

Talk  as  we  may,  the  soul  craves  the  very  support 
that  Christianity  furnishes ;  we  have  aspirations 
that  can  be  satisfied  only  by  clinging  to  the  faith 
and  hope  of  the  gospel ;  'and  it  is  an  unkind  and 


91 


VALUE  Of  CHHISTIAN  HOPE. 

cruel  hand  that  will  wrench  these  from  us,  and  leave 
our  hearts  bleeding  at  every  pore.  But  with  this 
faith  and  hope,  we  can  be  comforted  through  our 
earthly  pilgrimage ;  and  when  the  angel  of  God 
shall  come  to  summon  us  to  join  the  great  congre¬ 
gation  of  the  dead  ;  we  can  lie  down  at  rest,  calmly 
and  peacefully, 


“  Like  one 

Who  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch  about  him, 
And  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams.’* 


THE  BEREAVED  MOTHER. 


God  has  given  to  woman  a  nature  peculiarly 
susceptible  to  deep  emotions  —  a  nature  that  can 
suffer  keenly  or  enjoy  intensely.  To  her  He  has 
given  a  world  of  deathless  affection.  There  is  no 
heart  of  love  and  tenderness  like  hers ;  and 

hence,  when  the  new-born  babe  is  first  placed  by 

.. 

the  mother’s  side,  a  fountain  of  affection  flows 
out  towards  the  dear  little  one.  Her  heart  throbs 
as  never  before,  with  intense  emotions.  It  seems 
as  though  new  loves  were  awakened  in  her  soul, 
that  new  aspirations  were  kindled  in  her  bosom, 
and  new  hopes  and  joys  were  born  with  her 
child.  New  interests  spring  into  existence.  Life 
itself  puts  on  a  different  aspect.  The  world  appears 
to  have  changed.  Life  is  now  more  real  and  earn¬ 
est,  and  even  desirable.  There  seems  to  be  now 

mure  to .  live  for  than  ever  before  I  Old  things 

\ 


THE  BEREAVED  MOTHER. 


93 


have  passed  away,  and  all  things  have  become 
new. 

Day  by  day,  as  no  one  else,  does  the  mother 
watch  the  movements  of  her  child,  the  motions 
of  its  limbs  and  unfolding  and  the  development 
of  its  intellect.  She  is  the  first  to  notice  any 
fresh  evidence  of  mental  activity  ;  and  her  affec¬ 
tion  more  than  grows  with  its  growth,  and  more 
than  strengthens  with  its  strength !  But  while 
her  hopes  are  strong  and  her  imagination  paints 
a  brilliant  future  for  her  child,  disease  comes  and 
smites  the  fair  one  in  all  its  brightness  and  beauty, 
and  it  lies  prostrate  in  its  weakness  upon  its 
suffering  bed.  How  constantly  does  the  mother 
hang  over  her  child.  How  does  she  seek  to  soothe 
its  pains  and  minister  to  its  wants.  She  watches 
day  and  night  by  the  couch  of  the  sufferer. 
Sleep  comes  not  to  her  eyes,  nor  slumber  to  her 

eye-lids.  How  intensely  does  her  heart  ache  as 

« 

she  sees  the  life  of  her  child  ebbing  away.  She 
sees  the  cheek  pale  and  the  eye  grow  dim,  and 
the  dear  one  that  God  gave  her,  lies  cold  in 
death.  The  idol  of  her  heart  is  smitten,  and 
the  fond  hopes  which  were  kindled  in  her  bosom 
are  blasted,  and  that  bereaved,  broken-hearted 
mother  appears  stunned  by  her  great  sorrow. 

.  In  her  loneliness  and  grief,  where  shall  she  turn 


94 


THE  BEREAVED  MOTHER. 


for  comfort  ?  To  God  and  to  heaven,  whither  her 
child  has  gone  before  her.  As  she  leans  on  the 
arm  of  the  good  God,  and  the  all  merciful  Father, 
she  finds  strength.  Another  child  is  born  among 
the  immortals.  Another  child  lives  in  heaven, 
and  has  been  taken  in  the  arms  of  the  Savior, 
and  blessed  by  him  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  And 
shall  that  mother  murmur  at  the  Providence,  which 
has  taken  her  child  so  early  to  the  heavenly 
home  ?  It  is  well  with  the  child,  and  shall  she 
complain  that  it  was  removed  from  this  world  of 
sin  and  suffering,  ere  it  was  tempted  or  tainted 
with  evil,  that  it  went  up  with  a  pure  and  unstain¬ 
ed  soul,  to  live  with  God,  to  be  instructed  by 
the  angels  of  light  ?  This  thought  to  the  mother 
is  enough  to  assuage  the  sorrow  of  her  heart,  to 
lift  the  burden  from  her  soul,  and  give  unto  her 
the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  garment  of 
praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness.  Precious,  indeed, 

f 

are  the  words  of  the  blessed  Redeemer  of  man, 
“  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.”  New 
treasures  are  in  heaven,  and  new  attractions  are 
there.  The  separation  that  has  taken  place  will 
be  brief — on  the  immortal  plains  they  shall 
meet,  and  in  the  rapture  of  her  love  will  the 
mother  exclaim  :  “  Behold  I  and  the  child  God 

has  given  me.”  Such^jis  the  blissful  hope  to 


THE  BEEEAVED  MOTHER. 


95 


mortals  given  in  this  world  of  light  and  shade, 
of  sickness,  suffering,": [and  death,  a  hope  that 
when 


“  Days  and  years  are  past 
We  all  shall  meet  in  heaven.” 

“  When  we  hear  the  music  ringing 
Through  the  bright  celestial  dome, 
When  sweet  angel  voices  singing, 

Gladly  bid  us  welcome  home 
To  the  land  of  ancient  story, 

Where  the  spirit  knows  no  care, 

In  that  land  of  light  and  glory, 

Shall  we  know  each  other  there  ? 

When  the  holy  angels  meet  us. 

As  we  go  to  join  their  band. 

Shall  we  know  the  friends  who  greet  us. 
In  the  glorious  spirit  land? 

Shall  we  see  their  dark  eyes  shining 
On  us,  as  in  days  of  yore? 

Shall  we  feel  their  dear  arms  twining 
Fondly  round  us,  as  before  ? 

Yes,  my  earth- worn  soul  rejoices, 

And  my  weary  heart  grows  light ; 

For  the  thrilling  angel  voices, 

And  the  angel  faces  bright. 

That  shall  welcome  us  in  heaven, 

Are  the  loved  of  long  ago. 

And  to  them  ’tis  kindly  given 
Thus  their  mortal  friends  to  know. 


96 


THE  BEREAVED  MOTHER. 


Oh  !  ye  weary  ones  and  lone  ones, 
Droop  not,  faint  not  by  the  way  ; 

Ye  shall  join  the  loved  and  lost  ones 
In  the  land  of  perfect  day. 

Harp  strings  touched  by  angel  fingers. 
Murmur  in  my  raptured  ear  ; 
Evermore  their  sweet  tone  lingers  — 
We  shall  know  each  other  there.” 


NEARER  HOME. 


“One  sweetly  w'elcome  thought 
Comes  to  me  o’er  and  o’er  ; 

I ’m  nearer  home  to-day 
Than  I  ’ve  ever  been  before  — 

Nearer  my  Father’s  house, 

Where  the  many  mansions  be  ; 

Nearer  the  Great  White  Throne, 
Nearer  the  Jasper  Sea. 

Nearer  that  bound  of  life. 

Where  we  lay  our  burdens  down  — 

Nearer  leaving  the  cross. 

Nearer  gaining  the  crown. 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


What  hallowed  and  affecting  associations  cluster 
around  that  short  word  “  Home  !  ”  What  emotions 
does  it  awaken  within  the  human  breast  ?  It 
embraces  so  much  that  is  dear  and  precious  to 
us,  that  we  are  carried  back  to  “  childhood’s  sunny 
days,”  to  live  over  again  the  days  and  years 
of  confiding  and  joyous  youth.  Affecting  thoughts 
come  rushing  in  upon  us,  like  a  flood,  when  we 
turn  to  the  past,  and  remember  the  old  home- 
'  stead  and  its  ^  once  happy  inmates.  We  remem¬ 
ber  the  pleasant  walks,  the  winding  paths  which 
we  used  to  frequent,  the  fields  and  woods  we 
roamed,  the  hills  we  climbed,  and  even  the 

“  Old  oaken  bucket,  the  moss  covered  bucket  that  hung 
in  the  well.” 

We  turn  back  in  our  thoughts  to  that  old  dwell¬ 
ing,  which  in  the  buoyancy  of  youth  was  more 


98 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


attractive  to  us  than  all  the  beauties  of  a  man¬ 
sion,  or  the  gorgeousness  and  splendor  of  a  palace. 
But  the  voices  that  were  once  heard  in  that  dear 
old  home,  in  pleasant  and  instructive  conversation, 
or  united  in  Christian  devotion,  are  no  more  to 
be  heard  there.  Some  are\  hushed  in  the  stillness 
of  death,  and  some  of  its  inmates  have  gone  out 
no  more  to  return.  Here  and  there  a  dear  father, 
an  affectionate  mother,  a  beloved  brother  or  sister 
have  gone  down  the  dark  valley  —  gone  to  their 
heavenly  home.  Earth  is  not  our  home.  We  are 
strangers  and  pilgrims  in  the  earth  as  all  our 
fathers  were.  In  this  world  of  light  and  shade, 
we  feel  that  we  have  no  abiding  place,  no  permanent 
home  on  earth,  but  we  all  have  aspirations  for  a 
higher  and  better  life,  and  look  forward  to  our 
eternal  home,  where  we  shall  find  sweet  rest  in 
heaven  ” 

Man  feels  that  he  is  a  weary  pilgrim  in  a  distant 
land,  far  away  from  his  home !  Every  thing 
around  him  is  mutable.  The  scenes  and  circum¬ 
stances  of  to-day  are  unlike  those  of  yesterday, 
and  to-morrow  will  bring  with  it  changes,  and  differ¬ 
ent  relations  and  conditions.  Health,  to-day,  may 
run  through  all  the  channels  of  our  being  ;  to-mor¬ 
row,  disease  may  smite  us  and  we  may  lie  on  a 
couch  of  suffering  and  pain.  Our  kindred  may  - 
be  with  us  to-day ;  to-morrow  they  may  be  num- 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


90 


bered  with  the  dead.  To-day  we  may  go  to  the 
house  of  feasting,  to-morrow  we  may  go  to  the 
house  of  mourning.  To-day  are  our  loved  ones 
with  us,  to-morrow  we  may  follow  them  to  the 
grave.  Thus  are  our  earthly  homes  constantly 
changing.  Bat  not  so  with  our  home  in  the 
heavens.  There  is  no  sickness  there,  no  pain,  no 
sorrow,  no  tears  of  suffering,  no  night  of  anguish, 
no  parting  words  spoken,  no  sighs  heaved,  for  there 
tears  shall  be  wiped  from  off  all  faceSj  sorrow  and 
sighing  shall  flee  away,  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death.  We  shall  meet  to  part  no  more  forever. 
No  “  farewell  ”  shall  be  spoken  in  our  heavenly 
home.  On  earth  we  meet  to  part  again.  When 
children  return  from  afar  to  the  old  homestead,  and 
meet  on  some  festive  occasion  their  aged  parents, 
the  one  sad  thought  which  constantly  crowds  itself 
upon  their  attention  is,  that  they  must  soon  sepa¬ 
rate,  perhaps  never  to  meet  again  on  earth.  But 
we  associate  no  such  thoughts  with  our  heavenly 
home.  Ties  there  shall  never  be  sundered,  hearts 
never  broken,  tears  never  flow ;  for  we  shall  meet 
our  dear  ones  in  our  heavenly  home,  to  part  never¬ 
more. 

_  > 

“  What !  never  part  again  ? 

No,  never  part  again, 

For  there  we  shall  with  Jesus  reign, 

And  never,  never  part  again.” 


100 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


Again,  a  good  earthly  home  is  a  safe  retreat  for 
the  child,  from  the  buffetings  of  the  world. 
However  shunned  by  strangers  and  friendless  he 
may  be ;  when  persecuted  and  ill-treated ;  when 
even  forsaken  on  account  of  his  follies  and  errors, 

N. 

he  knows  there  is  one  place  where  he  can  find 
entrance  —  that  there  is  one  at  least  who  thinks  of 
him,  whose  heart  throbs  with  tender  emotions,  one 
whose  eyes  are  often  filled  with  tears,  who  remem¬ 
bers  him  in  prayer  —  that  the  arms  of  a  dear 
MOTHER  are  outstretched  to  receive  him — at  home. 
So,  however  scorned  and  buffeted  by  the  world 
the  poor  pilgrim  of  earth  may  be,  he  can  trust  in 
the  good  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  whose  affec¬ 
tion  is  infinitely  stronger  and  deeper  than  a 
mother’s  love.  However  treacherous  and  false 
those  may  be  with  whom  he  mingles,  though  all 
despise,  he  can  feel  that  there  is  a  retreat  from  the 
storm  —  a  home  in  the  heavens,  and  that  God  wdll 
welcome  him  among  the  shining  ones  ;  that  the  arms 
of  his  infinite  love  will  be  outstretched  to  welcome 
him  as  a  child,  once  lost,  but  now  redeemed.  We 
shall  find  rest  in  our  heavenly  home  ;  —  no  raging 
storms  there,  no  surging  waves  of  sorrow,  no 
tumultuous  passions,  no  persecutions,  no  conten¬ 
tions,  no  sickness,  nor  pain,  nor  death.  We  shall 
dwell  with  the  pure  and  good  there.  Dwelling  in 


THE  TWO  HOMES.  101 

$ 

love,  we  shall  dwell  in  God  and  God  in  us,  and 
our  souls  will  be  pervaded  with  a  divine  sympathy 
and^tenderness,  which  will  make  our  interests  and 
destiny  one.  In  every  good  home  on  earth,  there  is 
a  chord  of  sympathy  that  binds  heart  to  heart,  so  that 
if  one  member  of  the  family  suifer,  each  heart  is 
touched,  and  all  suffer  through  their  sympathies  and 
affections.  With  what  anxiety  and  care  does  the 
mother  watch  by  the  couch  of  her  sick  child  ?  And 
this,  because  of  the  wealth  of  her  affection  and  the 
strength  of  her  love.  And  shall  there  be  less  sympa¬ 
thy,  less  affection  in  the  heavenly  home  ?  Does  the 
love  we  bear  towards  our  kindred  belong  exclusively 
to  this  life  ?  Is  it  a  weakness  of  our  earthly  natures  ? 
It  cannot  be  !  It  is  a  divine,  a  heavenly  emotion  ; 
all,  indeed,  that  makes  life  attractive  and  earth 
beautiful.  It  makes  all  the  heaven  about  us,  that 
we  can  enjoy  on  earth.  There  can  be  no  heaven 
without  love.  In  our  immortal  home,  we  shall 
inhale  an  atmosphere  of  love.  It  will  be  our  very 
life.  Heart  linked  to  heart,  we  shall  all  meet  there 
to  part  no  more  forever.  In  that  loving,  joyous 
home  of  heaven,  the  destiny  of  one  is  the  destiny 
of  all,  for  if  one  soul  only  should  be  forever  absent 
from  heaven,  all  hearts  would  be  filled  with  sorrow 
in  that  home,  and  there  would  be  no  heaven  of  rest 
and  peace,  and  happiness.  Thanks  to  the  good 


102 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


Father  for  the  assurance,  that  no  member  of  the 
human*  family  shall  be  forever  absent  from  that 
.home  in  the  heavens.  It  will  be  no  heaven  of 
bliss  to  us,  if  we  never  meet  our  loved  ones  there  ! 
But  we  shall  all  meet  there.  Ties  that  have  been 
sundered  here,  shall  be  reunited  there,  and  we  shall 
stand  face  to  face  with  dear  ones  that  have  gone 
before  to  the  spirit  land,  and  in  eternal  sympathy 
with  God,  we  shall  live  and  reign  with  Him,  in  our 
heavenly  home  forever  and  ever. 

‘  Two  worlds  there  are.  To  one  our  eyes  we  strain, 
Whose  magic  joys  we  shall  not  see  again; 

Bright  haze  of  morning  veils  its  glimmering  shore ; 
Ah,  truly  breathed  we  there 
Intoxicating  air  — 

Glad  were  our  hearts  in  that  sweet  realm  of 
Nevermore. 

The  lover  there  drank  her  delicious  breath 
Whose  love  has  yielded  since  to  change  or  death ; 

The  mother  kissed  her  child  whose  days  are  o’er. 
Alas  I  too  soon  have  fled 
The  irreclaimable  dead  ; 

We  see  them  —  vision  strange  —  amid  the 
Nevermore. 

The  merry  songs  some  maidens  used  to  sing  — 

The  brown,  brown  hair  that  once  was  wont  to  cling 

To  temples  long  clay-cold  —  now  to  the  core 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


103 


They  stride  our  weary  hearts, 

As  some  vexed  memory  starts 
From  that  long  faded  land  —  the  realm  of 
Nevermore. 

It  is  perpetual  summer  there.  But  here, 

Sadly  we  may  remember  rivers  clear. 

And  hare-bells  quivering  on  the  meadow  floor. 

For  brighter  bells  and  bluer. 

For  tenderer  hearts  and  truer, 

Pebple  that  happier  land,  the  realm  of 
Nevermore. 

Upon  the  frontier  of  this  shadowy  land. 

We,  pilgrims  of  eternal  sorrow,  stand. 

What  realm  lies  forward,  with  its  happier  store 
Of  forest  green  and  deep. 

Of  valleys  hushed  in  sleep. 

And  lakes  most  peaceful  ?  ’Tis  the  land  of 
Evermore. 

Very  far  off  its  marble  cities  seem  — 

Very  far  off — beyond  our  sensual  dream  — 

Its  woods  unruffled  by  the  wind’s  loud  roar : 

Yet  does  the  turbulent  surge 
Howl  on  its  very  verge  — 

One  moment  —  and  we  breathe  within  the 
Evermore. 

They  whom  we  loved  and  lost  so  long  ago 

Dwell  in  those  cities,  far  from  mortal  woe  — 

Haunt  those  fresh  woodlands,  whence  sweet  carolings 


soar. 


104 


THE  TWO  HOMES. 


Eternal  peace  have  they; 

God  wipes  their  tears  away ; 

They  drink  that  river  of  life  which  flows  for 
Evermore. 

Thither  we  hasten  through  these  regions  dim. 
But  lo,  the  white  wings  of  the  Seraphim 

Shine  in  the  sunset !  On  that  joyous  shore, 
Our  lighted  hearts  shall  know 
The  .  life  of  long  ago  ; 

The  sorrow-burdened  past  shall  fade  for 


Evermore.” 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


That  many  unphilosophical  and  unscriptural 
views  have  obtained  in  regard  to  heaven,  its 
employments  and  attractions,  we  think  must  be 
apparent  to  all  who  have  thought  with  any  degree 
of  seriousness  upon  this  subject.  This  will  not 
appear  strange  when  we  remember  the  definitions 
which  have  been  employed  to  describe  the  heav¬ 
enly  state.  The  common  thought  gives  to  it  a 
kind  of  undefined  locality  and  form,  with  suitable 
dimensions  for  the  limited  number  who  may  fortu¬ 
nately  gain  entrance  to  its  abode.  Within  its  walls, 
the  redeemed  will  spend  an  eternity,  it  is  supposed, 
in  singing  psalms,  and  prostrating  themselves  before 
the  great  white  throne  of  the  King  of  kings,  and 
adoring  the  marvelous  justice  of  God,  who,  of  his 
own  sovereign  grace,  was  pleased  to  save  them. 
The  idea,  in  the  minds  of  most  Christians  is  that 


106 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


when  they  shall  go  to  heaven,  they  will  be  all 

arranged  in  circular  seats,  or  stand  in  rows  about 

“the  throne  of  God,”  and  engage  in  devotional 

exercises,  something  like  the  religious  services  of 

the  sanctuary  on  the  Sabbath ;  and  so  Heaven  is 

\ 

represented  as  an  “  eternal  Sabbath,”  and  the  hosts 
of  the  redeemed  continually  singing  praises, 

“  Vvliere  congregations  ne’er  break  up, 

And  Sabbaths  have  no  end.” 

•  Heaven,  an  eternal  Sunday !  Eternal  psalm¬ 
singing  !  An  eternal  routine  of  religious  devotion  I 
Eternally  waving  palms,  and  bending  in  religious 
adoration,  and  singing  praises  and  loud  hallelujahs  ! 
If  this  is  to  be  the  entire  employment  of  heaven, 
it  presents  no  attractions  to  intellectual  and  culti¬ 
vated  natures.  The  very  thought  of  such  dull  uni¬ 
formity,  is  intolerable  to  minds  that  have  grasped 
now  but  a  small  portion  of  scientific  and  philo¬ 
sophic  truth,  but  are  hungering  and  thirsting  for 
wisdom  and  knowledge.  It  is  not  at  all  satisfac¬ 
tory  to  those  expanded  souls,  that  have  seen  enough 
of  God,  to  know  that  there  is  an  unexplored  and 
boundless  ocean  of  truth !  It  does  not  meet 
rhe  wants  and  demands  of  the  higher  nature 
man.  We  are  endow’ed  wdth  minds  capable  Oi 
growth  and  everlasting  progress,  and  the  soul  has 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


107 


deep  intuitions  that  eternal  sameness  cannot  be 
its  normal  condition  in  heaven. 

“The  origin  of  this  notion  of  a  merely  devotional 
heaven  is  easily  found.  It  comes  from  the  idea  that 
religion  is  not  a  principle  to  run  through  the  life, 
like  the  blood  through  a  healthy  body  ;  but  a  kind  of 
top-finish,  the  Corinthian  capital  to  the  pillar.  As 
a  man’s  clothing  on  the  Sabbath  is  his  “  Sunday’s 
best,”  so  his  duties  on  that  day  are  of  a  somewhat 
finer  quality,  than  Thursday’s  and  Friday’s  common 
work.  Sunday  is  the  parlor  part  of  life.  The  rest 
is  of  the  kitchen  or  the  cellar  grade  of  dignity. 
Accordingly,  when  good  men  die,  these  grosser, 
coarser  affairs  slough  off,  and  they  carry  up  to 
heaven  only  the  spiritual  essence, ^to  be  eternally 
exhaled  in  devotion. 

“This  is  all  a  relic  of  old  Romish  asceticism, 
which  has  outlived  its  time.  Life’s  common  duties 
were  too  vulgar  or  unclean  for  a  holy  seclusion  ; 
and  so  convents  were  built  to  shut  them  out. 
Heaven,  as  commonly  viewed,  is  the  great  Protes¬ 
tant  convent.  The  “many  mansions”'  are  so 
many  different  cells  in  the  same  vast  cloister. 
There  all  good  souls  go;  and  there  give  them¬ 
selves  up  to  everlasting  praise  and  devout  medita¬ 
tions.” 

This  we  think  is  a  mistaken  idea  of  heaven. 


108  HE4VEN  AND  ITS  AITRACTIONS. 

Then  the  question  presses  itself  upon  our  attention, 
what  and  where  is  heaven  ?  Some  define  it  as  a 
place^  some  as  a  condition  of  the  soul.  When  we 
perfectly  understand  terms,  may  we  not  regard  it 
both  as  a  place  and  condition  ?  It  is  not  a  mere 
condition  of  the  soul,  neither  is  it  a  mere  place  of 
being.  But  if  we  give  to  heavenly  beings  person- 
ality  and  form,  as  the  Scriptures  represent,  and 
reason  teaches,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  them 
without  place.  If  they  have  indivduality,  they  must 
be  somewhere^  not  necessarily  in  one  locality,  nor 
limited  to  a  certain  orbit,  like  the  planets,  but  free 
to  go  and  learn  the  works  of  God,  throughout  the 
boundless  universe !  This  is  what  is  meant  when 
the  soul  is  declared  free  to  roam  ‘  through  the  fields 
of  heaven.’  And  yet,  while  the  soul  must  be 
somnrhere^  heaven,  strictly  speaking,  is  a  state  or 
condition  of  that  soul.  We  mean  by  this,  that  all 
its  forces  and  powers  must  be  in  harmony  with 
God  ;  that  it  must  be  permeated  throughout  with 
God’s  loving  spirit,  that  love  must  be  the  element 

in  which  it  lives,  and  moves,  and  has  its  being. 

• 

There  will  be  no  sin,  no  temptation,  no  motive  to 
evil,  no  vicious  appetite,  no  vain  and  sinful  passion, 
but  all  the  desires  and  purposes  of  the  soul  will  be 
good,  and  its  aspirations  divine.  .It  will  acquire 
knowledge,  and  be  filled  with  love,  the  fullness  of 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


109 


God.  This  is  heaven  ;  hence,  it  can  never  be  fully 
enjoyed  in  this  life,  while  linked  to  this  earthly  state 
of  existence,  and  its  vision  bounded  by  the  horizon 
of  temptation  and  sin.  We  therefore  say  that 
heaven  is  in  the  future  world,  because  in  the  world 
to  come  there  will  be  no  temptation,  no  sin,' none 
of  the  passions  and  appetites  of  the  animal  nature. 
We  shall  not  carry  these  along  with  us,  when  we  go 
down  the  dark  valley  and  shadow  of  death.  They 
belong  to  this  state,  and  will  be  left  behind.  We 
speak  intelligently,  therefore,  when  w’e  say  that 
heaven  is  before  us,  and  that  we  shall  enter  the 
heavenly  state  in  the  life  to  come.  So  far,  indeed, 
as  we  are  anim.ated  with  God’s  loving  spirit,  even 
here,  we  are  heavenly  minded,  but  at  best,  it  is  now 
imperfectly  enjoyed,  and  the  heavenly  state  is  before 
us.  It  is  first,  that  which  is  natural,  afterwards, 
that  which  is  spiritual.  The  apostle  contrasts  the 
two  states  of  being,  by  calling  this  earthly,  and  the 
life  hereafter  heavenly.  In  that  life,  the  soul  will 
have  pure  emotions,  holy  desires,  and  loving  aspira¬ 
tions  ;  and  that  condition  is  a  heavenly  one.  The 
soul  will  continue  to  expand  and  learn  more  and 
more  of  God  and  his  perfections,  and  the  wise  and 
benevolent  arrangements  of  his  infinite  economy, 
which  will  fill  it  with  wonder,  love,  and  praise. 


no 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


Thus  conditioned,  every  thought,  and  act,  and  emo¬ 
tion,  will  bring  happiness  and  joy  forever. 

And  if  w’e  ask  where  heaven  is  ?  we  answer, 
wherever  the  pure  soul  is  ;  w’hetber  tilled  with  ado¬ 
ration  and  praise,  in  beholding  the  marvelous  exhibi¬ 
tions  of  God’s  perfections  and  love,  as  displayed  in 
his  works,  or  going  out  to  earth’s  needy  children, 
bearing  some  message  of  love,  strengthening  some 
weary  soul,  or  pouring  consolation  into  bereaved 
hearts.  The  Scriptures  abound  with  examples  of 
angelic,  spiritual  beings,  making  their  appearance 
among  men,  on  some  benevolent  and  holy  mission. 
In  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  Jesus  was  strength¬ 
ened  by  an  angel  from  heaven,  and  while  engaged 
in  that  divine  mission,  that  messenger,  imbued  with 
a  heavenly  spirit,  was  really  in  heaven,  though  visit¬ 
ing  the  earth.  At  the  Savior’s  birth,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared  to  the  shepherds  on  the  plains  of 
Judea,  and  brought  good  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all 
people ;  and  with  that  angel,  a  “  multitude  of  the 
heavenly  hosts,”  suddenly  appeared, — praising  God, 
and  saying :  “  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 

earth,  peace,  good  will  towards  men.”  When  this 
multitude  of  the  heavenly  hosts  came  on  this  divine 
mission  to  humanity,  filled  with  God’s  loving,  heav¬ 
enly  spirit,  they  w^ere  still  in  heaven.  Wherever 
such  beings  are,  they  are  in  heaven.  All  through 


HEAVEN  AND  IT3  ATTRACTIONS. 


Ill 


the  Scriptures,  angelic,  heavenlj^  beings  are  repre¬ 
sented  as  making  occasional  excursions  to  this  earth. 
Being  in  a  pure  and  holy  condition,  they  are  in 
heaven.  They  come  at  different  times  to  bless  and 
support  us,  we  feel  their  influence  and  presence. 
They  come  with  a  message  from  God,  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  to  comfort  the  sorrowing,  to  strength¬ 
en  the  dying,  and  to  accompany  the  emancipated 
spirit  to  the  Father’s  house  of  many  mansions. 
And  all  the  time  they  are  in  heaxen^  for  heaven  to 
them  is  a  holy  condition.  Heaven  need  not  nece  - 
sarily  be  far  aw’ay.  It  is  w  herever  the  perfectly 
pure  in  heart  are,  for  they  see  God.  When  the 
soul  inhales  a  pure  atmosphere,  and  beats  in  sym¬ 
pathy  with  the  •  great  heart  of  God,  it  is  in  heaven. 
It  is  a  condition  infinitely  exalted  above  this  earthly 
life,  hence  the  longing,  throbbing  aspiration  of  the 
soul  for  that  state. 

The  attractions  of  heaven  are  more  than  Jheart 
can  conceive,  or  tongue  describe.  They  compre¬ 
hend  the  almost  boundless  possibilities  of  the  soul 
in  the  acquisition  of  knowledge,  by  exploring  the 
infinite  works  of  God,  by  communing  with  the 
great  and  good  of  all  time,  and  by  rejoining  our 
dear  ones  who  have  gone  before.  The  sacred 
writers  represent  the  future  state  as  being  in¬ 
finitely  superior  to  the  present  life,  and  there¬ 
fore  attractive.  We  are  spoken  of  as  passing 


112 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


through  a  great  and  glorious  change,  in  going  from 
this  to  the  immortal  state.  “  It  is  sown  in  corrup¬ 
tion,”  says  the  apostle,  who  received  his  doctrine 
by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  “It  is  raised  in 
incorruption.  It  is  sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised 
in  glory  ;  it  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in 
power,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  And  as  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also 
bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly.”  According  to 
the  teachings  of  Paul,  the  difference  between  this 
life  and  the  future  world,  is  as  great  as  the  stars 
which  differ  in  glory.  This  life  is  earthly  and 
evil ;  the  life  to  come,  will  be  heavenly  and  pure. 
Christ,  speaking  of  the  resurrection  of  man  from 
the  dead,  said :  “Neither  can  they  die  any  more, 
for  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels,  and  are  the 
children  of  God,  being  children  of  the  resurrection. 
For  he  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the 
living;  for  all  live  unto  him.”  This  language  of 
the  great  Teacher,  gives  beauty  and  attractiveness 
to  the  future  life,  and  makes  us  long  for  that 
equality  with  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven.  To 
the  same  import  is  the  following  language  :  “  For 

we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  taber¬ 
nacle  is  dissolved,  w’e  have  a  building  of  God,  an 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 
For  in  this  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


113 


clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven. 
Therefore  we  are  ■  always  confident,  knowing  that, 
whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent 
from  the  Lord.  We  are  confident,  I  say,  and 
willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to 

m 

be  present  with  the  Lord.”  This  language  not 
only  implies  change,  but  in  going  into  the  future- 
life,  in  some  peculiar  sense,  not  now  experienced, 
we  shall  be  present  with  the  Lord,  in  that  house 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  In 
that  building  of  God,  there  ♦shall  be  no  tears,  no 
sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any 
more  death. 

The  purity  of  heaven,  renders  it  attractive.  In 
this  life  there  is  imperfection  and  sin;  huge  wrongs 
and  colossal  evils.  Linked  as  we  all  are  to  an  earth¬ 
ly  and  material  nature,  with  strong  passions  and 
appetites  that  lead  us  astray,  we  do  not  expect 
entire  freedom  from  sin,  as  long  as  we  tabernacle 
in  the  flesh.  We  are  surrounded  by  untoward 
circumstances.  *  Influences,  prejudicial  to  well  devel¬ 
oped  and  harmonious  natures,  bear  upon  us  so 
strongly,  that  we  are  tempted  to  evil  and  led  into 
sin.  When  we  would  do  good,  as  the  apostle  says, 
evil  is  present  with  us.  “  There  is  a  law  in  our 
members,  warring  against  the  law  of  our  minds, 
bringing  us  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which 
6a 


114 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


is  in  our  members,”  This  language  indicates  the 
conflict  between  the  higher  and  better  aspirations 
of  the  soul,  and  the  passions  of  the  earthly  nature. 
Brought  as  we  thus  are  into  captivity  to  sin,- we 
are  in  a  restless  and  unhappy  condition,  in  the 
gall  of  bitterness  and  bonds  of  iniquity.  On  earth 
there  is  impurity,  wretchedness  and  despair. 

But  in  the  life  to  come,  there  will  be  purity  and 
joy  forevermore.  In  the  heavenly  world,  there  will 
be  no  stain  of  sin,  no  moral  evil  to  mar  and  vex 
the  spirit  —  no  impure*  thought,  no  passionate  emo-  ' 
tion,  no  sinful  act.  No  unclean  thing  will  be  there, 
but  the  redeemed  will  walk  there,  and  God  will  be 
the  light  and  glory  thereof.  Eye  hath  not  seen 
it,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man, 
to  conceive  of  the  superlative  happiness  and  glory 
of  that  heavenly  life.  There  shall,  be  no  night 
of  darkness,  no  night  of  sin,  no  night  of  sorrow 
and  death.  Exalted  to  that  life,  we  shall  be  deliv¬ 
ered  from  the  vexations  and  turmpils  of  earth, 
and  be  surrounded  by  pure  influences,  commune 
with  angelic  beings,  and  breathe  a  pure  atmos¬ 
phere.  Does  not  this  thought  lend  great  attrac¬ 
tion  to  the  heavenly  life  ? 

“  No  strife  nor  envy  there 
The  sons  of  peace  molest ; 

But  harmony  and  love  sincere 
Fill  every  happy  breast. 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


115 


No  cloud  those  regions  know, 

Forever  bright  and  fair ; 

For  sin,  the  source  of  mortal  wo, 

Can  never  enter  there. 

Far  from  these  scenes  of  night 
Unbounded  glories  rise, < 

And  realms  of  infinite  delight. 

Unknown  to  mortal  eyes. 

There  sickness  never  comes ; 

There  grief  no  more  complains ; 

Health  triumphs  in  immortal  bloom. 

And  purest  pleasures  reign. 

Another  consideration  that  gives  attractiveness 
to  heaven  is,  that  it  is  our  everlasting  Home. 
On  earth,  we  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  as  all  our 
fathers  were.  Here,  we  have  no  continuing  city, 
no  abiding  place,  no  home.  We  build  mansions 
and  accumulate  riches,  as  though  we  were  to  live 
here  forever.  But  our  plans  are  frustrated,  and 
our  hopes  cut  off.  Death  invades  our  dwellings 
and  steals  away  our  dear  ones,  and  we  who  are  here 
to-day,  may  not  be  here  to-morrow.  The  places 
that  know  us  now,  may  soon  know  us  no  more 
on  earth.  Everything  around  us  is  mutable,  subject 
.to  change,  decay,  and  death* 

But  inj  the  life^  to  come  there  will  be  no  such 


116 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


change.  In  that  heavenly  home,  there  will  be  no 
death,  no  parting  word  spoken,  no  sigh  heaved,  no 
tears  fall.  Here,  families*  are  separated ;  in  the 
heavenly  home  they  will  be  re-united,  to  part  no 
more.  Oh,  what  attractions  are  in  that  heavenly 

home  now !  That  good  father,  that  afiectionate 

% 

mother,  that  beloved  companion,  that  dear  child,  or 
brother,  or  sister,  are  there.  We  see  them  by  the 
eye  of  faith,  palm-crowned  and  redeemed,  beckon¬ 
ing  us  onward, 

“  Waiting  our  arrival  there.” 

As  the  weary  traveler  in  a  distant  land,  longs  to 
retrace  his  steps  and  return  to  his  dear  ones  at 
home;  so  does  the  weary  pilgrim  of  earth,  long 
for  that  “  sweet  rest  in  heaven,”  where  he  shall 
be  permitted  to  meet  his  dear  ones  who  have  gone 
before,  and  remain  together  forever  and  ever.  We 
bless  God  for  the  assurance  that  heaven  is  our 
eternal  home.  Being  pure  in  heart  we  shall  see  God 
as  we  have  never  seen  him  before.  There  wo 
shall  see  Christ,  and  behold  the  patriarchs,  and 
prophets,  and  apostles,  and  the  good  of  all  ages. 
Has  not  heaven,  then,  marvelous  attractions  foi 
us  ?  Earth  is  not  our  home,  but  we  seek  a  city 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  God,  eternal  in  the 
heavens. 

Again:  progressive  rature  oi  the  heavenly 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


117 


life,  also  gives  to  it  much  attractiveness.  God  has 
endowed  us  with  natures  capable  of  endless  growth 
and  expansion.  Within  ourselves,  we  have  all 
the  possibilities  of  eternal  progress,  and  knowing 
so  little  on  earth  and  capable  of  knowing  so 
much  in  eternity,  of  God,  of  His  plans  and  His 
works,  we  cannot  believe  that  human  development 
is  limited  to  this  life.  How  short-sighted  we  now 
are  !  How  ignorant  we  are  concerning  God's  arrange¬ 
ments  and  providences !  How  limited  is  our 
vision !  Oh,  how  dark  and  mysterious  are  the 
ways  of  God  to  us !  It  will  take  an  eternity  for 
us  to  learn  of  God,  of  the  boundless  universe  He 
has  made  and  the  infinite  sweep  of  worlds !  As 
we  have  attempted  to  show,  the  occupation  of 
'heaven,  will  not  consist  in  mere  psalm-singing  and 
devotional  exercises,  but  in  the  active  pursuit  of 
knowledge,  and  in  unfolding  and  enlarging  the 
divine  powers  of  the  soul.  We  can  only  know  of 
the  greatness  and  grandeur  of  God’s  universe,  by 
astronomical  studies  and  scientific  pursuits,*  and 
these,  we  apprehend,  will  be  among  the  employ¬ 
ments  of  celestial  beings.  It  begets  a  deep  rever- 
ence,  and  profound  adoration,  to  study  the  works 
ef  God ;  and  undoubtedly,  as  immortal  and  glori¬ 
fied  beings,  we  shall  pass  from  world  to  world, 
learning  more  and  more  of  God,  and  be  filled  with 


118 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTKACTIONS. 


love  and  praise  as  we  survey  the  mighty  universe. 

In  viewing  heaven  as  a  progressive  state,  it 
becomes  more  attractive  to  us.  There,  the  dark 
problems  of  existence  will  be  explained,  and  the 
solemn  and  mysterious  providences  of  God,  will  be 
revealed,  and  we  shall  know  why  God  has  permitted 
so  much  evil  to  enter  into  His  universe,  and  sub¬ 
jected  man  to  so  much  suffering. 

Then,  too,  we  remember  that  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge  brings  happiness  to  us.  We  cannot  believe 
that  God  will  close  this  avenue  of  enjoyment,  when 
we  enter  the  future  world.  The  means  of  progress 
becomes  the  instrumentality  of  pleasure.  Indeed, 
will  not  our  happiness  be  in  a  ratio,  correspond¬ 
ing  to  our  growth  ?  Will  not  God,  therefore, 
bestow  happiness,  by  seeking  our  development  and 
expansion  ?  In  the  language  of  another  : 

“  It  were  well  to  form  our  opinions  on  this  point 
from  those  passages  which  repeat  to  us  the  songs 
and  ascriptions  of  praise  to  God,  from  angels  and 
cherubim,  and  those  exalted  spirits  that  bow  before 
the  throne,  saying,  “  Holy,  holy  Lord  God  Almighty 
—  Glory  be  to  thee  in  the  highest,  and  honor  and 
power  ,  for  thou  hast  made  all  things  —  great  and 
marvelous  are  thy  works ;  just  and  true  are  thy 
ways.  The  heavens  shall  declare  thy  wonders  ; 
all  thy  works  shall  praise  thee,  and  thy  saints 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


119 


shall  bless  thee!”  These  hymns  of  praise  show 
their  source  in  a  knowledge  of  the  glorious  works 
of  God,  in  admiration  of  the  stupendous  exhibi¬ 
tions  of  divine  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  in  the 
illimitable  fields  of  creation. 

We  may  imagine,  and  not  without  great  proba¬ 
bility,  that  these  blessed  angelic  beings,  after  extend¬ 
ed  excursions  to  some  distant  province  or  portion 
of  the  boundless  empire  of  the  Almighty  —  after 
having  surveyed  some  remote  system  of  worlds, 
and  made  themselves  familiar  with  their  various 
aspects ;  the  details  of  their  physical  history  ;  the 
changes  of  surface ;  the  stages  of  geological  devel¬ 
opment  ;  the  distribution  of  animal  and  vegetable 
life ;  the  character,  development,  organism,  moral 
relations  and  mental  endowments  of  .  the  intelligent 
inhabitants  of  each  —  after  beholding  these  multi¬ 
plied  exhibitions  of  the  divine  energy,  skill,  and 
benevolence,  —  we  may  well  imagine  them  returning 
from  this  delightfnl  and  instructive  excursion,  and 
.gathering  about  the  throne  of  the  Ancient  of  Days, 
with  these  ascriptions  of  glory  and  honor,  as  the 
utterance  of  joy,  of  adoration  and  gratitude  for  what 
they  have  seen  and  learned  on  this,  to  them,  new 
theatre  of  the  divine  operations. 

And  in  view  of  some  such  event  as  this,  how 
much  more  force  and  meaning  are  given  to  the 


120 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTKACTIONS. 


Revelator’s  language,  when  he  says  that,  over¬ 
whelmed,  as  it  w’ere,  with  the  sense  of  God’s  infi¬ 
nite  power  and  wisdom,  and  with  the  extent  and 
splendor  of  his  creation,  they  fell  down  and  “  wor¬ 
shiped  Him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever  ;  and  cast 
their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying.  Thou  art 
worthy,  0  Lord !  to  receive  glory  and  honor  and 
power  :  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for 
thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created.” 

Again :  Heaven  becomes  peculiarly  attractive  to 
as  because  of  those  dear  onest  of  ours  who  have 
already  entered  the  abodes  of  light  and  happiness. 
They  are  ours,  members  of  our  families,  bound  to 
us  by  tender  ties  and  strong  cords  of  affection. 
When  the  little  child  dies,  it  is  not  merely  that  a 
vacuum  is  made  in  that  home,  but  it  is  like  tearing 
out  the  very  heart  of  the  mother.  The  affections 
cling  to  the  dear  departed,  and  the  heart  hungers 
for  that  child.  There  is  an  unsatisfied  longing  to 
see  it  again.  Shut  out  from  earthly  vision,  the  eye 
of  faith  beholds  it  in  heaven.  Now,  there  is  a 
new  and  strong  attraction  there.  Thus  families  are 
divided,  part  on  earth  and  part  in  heaven.  As  x>ne 
after  another  leaves  us,  we  feel  drawn  towards  the 
heavenly  world,  the  Father’s  house  of  many  man¬ 
sions,  where  our  kindred  ^dwell.  Our  treasures 
being  there,  our  hearts  are  there  also.  We  long 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS.  121 


for  their  society,  and  with  grateful  emotions,  we 

look  forward  to  the  time  of  our  release  from  earth, 

0 

when  we  shall  be  permitted  to  rejoin  the  dear  ones 
in  heaven.  “  Yes,”  says  a  writer,  “  one  of  the 
the  most  grateful  and  pleasing  thoughts  of  the  future 
life,  is  that  which  renews  the  loving  and  tender  asso¬ 
ciations  of  this.  Heaven  will  be  to  the  future,  what 
home  is  to  the  present  life ;  the  sacred  place  where 
the  affections  may  utter  themselves  without  restraint, 
where  the  heart  may  gather  up  its  treasures,  rejoic¬ 
ing  in  its  everlasting  heritage  of  love  and  blessed¬ 
ness.  There  our  cherished  and  idolized  ones  will 
gather  around  us,  and  fold  their  arms  about  us, 
and  engage  in  sweet  and  pleasant  converse.  They 
who  walked  with  us  in  the  cheerful  sunlight,  and 
in  the  solemn  shadows,  of  our  earthly  life.  They 
who  bore  with  us  the  heat  and  burthen  of  the  day. 
They  who  loved  us  as  we  yearned  to  be  loved, 
and  on  whom  the  gushing  tenderness  of  the  heart 
was  poured  out  like  summer  rain  upon  the  fields. 
They  whose  sweet  faces  were  like  smiles  from 
heaven  to  our  earthly  sorrow,  and  whose  kind 
words  fell  on  the  worn  heart  like  dew  on  withering 
plants,  — 


122  IIEAYEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 

“  They  the  young  and  strong,  who  cherished 
Noble  longings  for  the  strife, 

By  the  roadside  fell  and  perished, 

Weary  with  the  march  of  life — 

They,  the  holy  ones  and  weakly 
Who  the  cross  of  suffering  bore, 

Folded  their  pale  hands  so  meekly. 

Spake  with  us^on  earth  no  more.” 

• 

All  these  shall  come  to  us  again  —  and  0  how 
blessed  the  meeting  —  “a  family  in  heaven,  no 
wanderer  lost.”  We  shall  live  again  —  we  shall 
be  together  again.  Love  is  immortal  as  the  soul. 
And  the  poorest  and  most  hopeless  of  earth’s 
children,  the  most  darkened  and  wayward  and 
forsaken,  is  still  loved  of  some  one  in  the  great 
crowd  of  life — and  God  loves  us  all ! 

Yes,  we  shall  meet  again,  all  of  us,  and  rejoice 
together  in  the  glorious  light  of  the  Sun  of  Right¬ 
eousness.  If  it  were  not  so,  the  gift  of  a  future 
life  would  be  of  little  worth’.  Take  from  us  those 
we  love,  and  you  take  away  all  that  makes  Heaven 
desirable. 

For  “  O  how  dark,  how  drear,  how  lone 
Would  seem  the  brightest  world  of  bliss, 

If  wandering  through  each  radiant  sphere, 

We  failed  to  meet  the  loved  of  this.” 

Tell  me  that  I  am  never  again  to  behold  the 
precious  ones  who  have  cared  for  me  and  watched 
over  me  here,  whose  spirits  were  toned  in  chord 


HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTTACTIONe^.  l23 


with  mine,  whose  gentle  ministries  of  affection  have 
given  life  all  its  beauty  and  blessedness —  tell  me  I 
shall  never  see  nor  be  with  these  again,  and  I  can¬ 
not  go  in  peace,  I  will  not  say  to  the  grave  —  but 
not  even  to  a  life,  however  glorious,  where  they  are 
not.  No  ;  and  I  say  it  not  hastily,  but  with  much 
thought  —  I  could  not  desire  a  heaven,  where  I  am 
not  to  find  those  dear  beings  who  have  woven  them¬ 
selves  like  golden  threads  into  the  very  texture  of 
my  soul,  and  have  become  to  me  as  the  pulse  of  my 
heart. 

Thanks  be  to  God  the  Father,  and  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  I  shall  find  them  —  every  one  of  them 
in  some  of  the  many  mansions  of  the  Father’s 
house  ;  and  there  together  we  shall  lift  up  the 
hymn  of  redemption,  and  behold  the  glory  of  the 
Lord’s  creation,  and  worship  in  the  beauty  of  holi¬ 
ness;  for  there  we  shall  be  renewed  in  the  spirit, 
and  in  a  higher  and  holier  sense  we  shall  be  the 
children  of  God,  being  children  of  the  Resurrec¬ 
tion  !  ” 

There  is  a  world  we  have  not  seen, 

That  wasting  time  can  ne’er  destroy, 

Where  mortal  footstep  hath  not  been, 

Nor  ear  hath  caught  its  sounds  of  joy. 

That  world  to  come  I  and  O  how  blest !— 

« 

Fairer  than  prophets  ever  told; 

And  never  did  an  angel-guest 
One  half  its  blessedness  unfold. 


124  HEAVEN  AND  ITS  ATTRACTIONS. 


It  is  all  holy  and  serene,— 

The  land  of  glory  and  repose ; 

And  there  to  dim  the  radiant  scene, 
No  tear  of  sorrow  ever  flows. 

There  forms  unseen  by  mortal  eye, 
Too  glorious  for  our  sight  to  bear, 
Are  walking  with  their  God  on  high, 
And  waiting  our  arrival  there. 


Heaven  is  the  land  where  troubles  cease, 
Where  toils  aud  tears  are  o’er  ;  — 

The  blissful  clime  of  rest  and  peace, 
Where  cares  distract  no  more  ; 

And  not  the  shadow  of  distress 
Dims  its  unsullied  blessedness. 

Heaven  is  the  dwelling-place  of  joy, 

The  home  of  light  and  love. 

Where  faith  and  hope  in  rapture  die. 

And  ransomed  souls  above 
Enjoy,  before  th’  eternal  throne,"^ 

Bliss  everlasting  and  unknown. 


COMFORTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


The  evangelical  prophet,  in  describing  the  char¬ 
acter  and  ofQce  of  Christ,  assures  us  that  one  object 
of  his  mission  was  to  “  comfort  all  that  mourn.” 
In  view  of  this  declaration,  therefore,  as  we  con¬ 
sider  the  condition  and  wants  of  man,  and  remem¬ 
ber  that  all  hearts  are  bowed  in  sorrow  and  affliction, 
and  that  in  every  home  there  is  “ut  least  “  one 
vacant  chair,”  —  we  are  not  only  taught  the  suffl- 
ciency  "and  beautiful  adaptation  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ  to  human  wants,  but  that  all  are  embraced 
in  its  mission,  and  have  an  interest  in  its  heav¬ 
enly  teachings.  As  death  is  everywhere  abroad 
in  the  earth,  gathering  to  its  cold  embrace  some 
member  of  every  household  —  some  dear  parent, 
companion,  or  child,  and  as  the  gospel  is  designed 
to  comfort  all  that  mourn,  it  pre-supposes  that 
it  teaches  a  happy  immortality  for  the  soul,  for 
how  could  we  be  comforted,  except  by  the  assu- 


126 


COMFORTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


ranee  that  the  dear  objects  of  our  affection  had 
passed  on  to  a  higher  and  better  life,  and  that  we 
shall  eventually  rejoin  them  in  the  heavenly  world? 
Hence,  we  discover  the  superiority  of  Christianity 
over  all  teachings  of  men,  and  the  speculations  and 
philosophies  of  the  world. 

Christ,  who  came  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
to  preach  good  tidings  of  great  joy  unto  all 
people,  presented  a  religion  full  of  hope  and  con¬ 
solation,  designed  to  comfort  all  that  mourn.  He 
assured  man  of  God’s  universal  paternity  —  of  the 
infiniteness  of  his  grace,  and  that  all  were  objects 
of  his  love,  and  heirs  of  a  glorious  immortality  — 
that  He,  who-  had  created  man  in  his  own  divine 
image,  had  proposed  to  gather  together  in  one 
all  things  in  Christ,  and  encircle  all  souls  in  the 
arms  of  his  redemption — hence,  there  was  hope 
and  comfort  /or  all. 

But  how  can  all  mourners  be  comforted,  unless 
they  believe  that  it  is  well  with  the  dear  depar¬ 
ted  ?  If  there  is  a  single  soul  in  God’s  universe 
not  thus  assured,  that  heart  cannot  be  comforted. 
But  as  the  Gospel  is  given  to  comfort  us  in  all  our 
afflictions,  it  must  bring  to  us  'koi:)e  for  all,  and  a 
faith  that  our  kindred  and  friends  will  ultimately 
be  holy  and  happy.  Such  are  its  soul-inspiring 
teachings,  beautifully  adapted  to  our  circumstances 


COMFORTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  127 

and  wants,  designed  to  pour  consolation  into  our 
bleeding  hearts,  and  give  to  us  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning,  and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit 
of  heaviness. 

Those  who  accept  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  all 

its  fullness  are  enabled  to  bow  with  Christian  res-  * 

ignation  to  all  the  solemn  providences  of  God,  to 

resign  their  kindred  back  into  the  hands  of  the 

Infinite  Father,  and  to  “  read  their  title  clear  to 

% 

mansions  in  the  skies, “  —  so  that  they  can  exclaim 
in  the  triumphs  of  the  Christian  faith —  “  Though 
I  walk  through  the  valley  and  shadow  of  death, 

I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod 
and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me.”  Those  relying 
upon  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  have  strength  suffi¬ 
cient  for  their  day,  and  all  the  divine  support  and 
consolation  that  the  heart  demands.  This  Gospel 
is  indeed  precious  to  the  believer,  being  adapted  to 
every  want,  and  having  power  to  assuage  all  our 
sorrows,  and  to  comfort  us  in  all  our  afflictions. 

It  assures  us  that  our  dear  ones  have  passed 
over  the  river  of  death,  and  from  the  bowers  of 
light  and  beauty  they  beckon  us  to  pass  over  the 
cold  stream,  and  rejoin  them  on  the  other  side. 
From  this  and  that  home,  a  father,  mother,  com¬ 
panion,  and  a  child  have  gone.  They  have  been 
piloted  safely  over  Jordan’s  cold  stream,  and  they 


128 


CONFOETS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


stand  robed  in  garments  of  light  and  love,  on  the 
heavenly  shore,  ready  to  greet  us  when  the  pale 
messenger  shall  come  to  carry  us  over  the  swelling 
waters. 

“  Over  the  river  they  beckon  to  me  — 

Loved  ones  who  crossed  to  the  further  side  ; 

The  gleam  of  their  snowy  robes  I  see, 

But  their  voices  are  drowned  by  the  rushing  tide ; 

There’s  one  with  ringlets  of  sunny  gold, 

And  eyes  the  reflection  of  heaven’s  own  blue  ; 

He  crossed  in  the  twilight,  gray  and  cold, 

And  the  pale  mist  hid  him  from  mortal  view. 

We  saw  not  the  angels  that  met  him  there ; 

The  gate  of  the  city  we  could  not  see  :  — 

Over  the  river,  over  the  river. 

My  brother  stands  waiting  to  welcome  me  1 

Over  the  river  the  boatman  pale 
Carried  another  —  the  household  pet ; 

Her  brown  curls  waved  in  the  gentle  gale  — 

Darling  Minnie  I  I  see  her  yet  I 

She  crossed  on  her  bosom  her  dimpled  hands, 

And  fearlessly  entered  the  phantom  bark; 

We  watched  it  glide  from  the  silver  sands. 

And  all  our  sunlight  grew  strangely  dark; 

We  know  she  is  safe  on  the  further  side. 

Where  all  the  ransomed  and  angels  be  : 

Over  the  river,  the  mystic  river, 

My  childhood’s  idol  is  waiting  for  me. 


COMFORTS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


129 


For  none  return  from  those  Quiet  shores. 

Who  cross  with  the  boatman  cold  and  pale  ; 

We  hear  the  dip  of  the  golden  oars, 

And  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  snowy  sail  — 

And  lol  they  have  passed  from  our  yearning  hearts  ; 

They  cross  the  stream  and  are  gone  for  aye  ; 

We  may  not  sunder  the  veil  apart 
That  hides  from  our  sight  the  gates  of  day. 

We  only  know  that  their  barks  no  more 
May  sail  with  us  o’er  life’s  stormy  sea, 

Yet  somewhere,  I  know,  on  the  unseen  shore. 

They  watch,  and  beckon,  and  wait  for  me  I 

And  I  sit  and  think,  when  the  sunset’s  gold 
Is  flashing  river  and  hill  and  shore, 

I  shall  one  day  stand  by  the  water  cold. 

And  list  for  the  sound  of  the  boatman’s  oar 
I  shall  watch  for  a  gleam  ol  the  flapping  sail, 

I  shall  hear  the  boat  as  it  gains  the  strand  ; 

I  shall  pass  from  sight  with  the  boatman  pale. 

To  the  better  shore  of  the  spirit  land ; 

I  shall  know  the  loved  who  have  gone  before. 

And  joyfully  sweet  shall  the  meeting  be. 

When  over  the  river,  the  peaceful  river, 

The  angel  of  death  sha’l  carry  me.” 


7 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


“  It  is  good  for  me,”  said  the  Psalmist,  “  that 

I  have  been  afflicted,  that  I  might  learn  thy 

statutes,”  Affliction  has  an  important  mission  to 

perform  for  us.  It  is  our  privilege  to  feel  that  it 

is  sent  by  our  heavenly  Father  for  some  wise 

and  beneficent  purpose,  remembering  that  He  does 

not  afflict  the  children  of  men,  simply  to  produce 

sorrow  and  anguish,  but  for  our  profit,  that  we 

may  be  partakers  of  his  holiness.  It  is  designed 

to  teach  us  of  God,  to  arrest  our  thoughts  and 

fix  them  on  Him,  to  bind  us  to  his  law,  to  deepen 

our  convictions  of  dependence  upon  Him,  and  thus 

through  a  severe  discipline,  to  work  out  for  us 

* 

a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
If  our  minds  are  correctly  enlightened  concerning 
Divine  Providence,  we  shall  accept  the  afflictions 
of  life  as  coming  from  the  Father’s  hand,  who  is 
thus  carrying  forward  his  purposes  to  a  benevo- 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


131 


lent  issue,  and  seeking  to  discipline  our  natures 
and  uplift  us  above  the  world,  and  make  us  perfect 
as  was  Christ,  even  through  suffering.  As  afflic¬ 
tion  coraeth  not  forth  from  the  dust,  nor  springeth 
out  of  the  ground,  but  is  one  of  the  instrumental¬ 
ities  of  heaven  to  improve  and  benefit  us,  we 
should  accept  it  as  a  divine  agency,  and  see  that 
it  fulfills  its  mission  for  us.  It  teaches  the  impo- 
tency  of  ourselves,  and  suggests  our  dependence 

on  God  ;  makes  us  acquainted  with  our  own 
weakness,  and  convinces  us  that  we  are  drifting 

before  uncontrollable  circumstances,  and  are  af¬ 
fected  by  agencies  and  influences  beyond  our 
reach  —  and,  which  are  designed  for  our  improve¬ 
ment. 

And  yet,  in  our  blindness,  ignorance,  and  unbe¬ 
lief,  how  many  fail  to  recognize  the  finger  of  God 
on  the  dial-plate  of  a  daily  providence,  and  sub¬ 
mit  to  affliction  in  calm  and  stoical  indifference 
as  a  fatality,  instead  of  accepting  it  from  the 
hands  of  an  infinitely  wise  and  benevolent  God, 
with  a  desire  to  be  disciplined  and  benefited  by 
it.  In  the  mysterious  ways  of  his  providence,  and 
the  countless  manifestations  of  his  dealings  with 
us,  God  is  writing  out  his  thoughts,  executing  his 
purposes,  and  developing  his  plans !  This  truth 
should  be  the  spiritual  lens  through  which  the 


132 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


eye  of  faith  may  view  the  afflictions  of  life,  and 
the  solemn  providences  of  God.  Then  we  shall 
recognize  their  important  mission,  and  though,  in 
our  blindness  we  may  not  always  see  the  wisdom 
and  benevolence  of  his  arrangements,  yet,  we  shall 
know  that  they  are  designed  for  our  good.  Rest¬ 
ing  in  the  assurance  of  an  overruling  Providence, 
we  may  say  in  the  language  of  a  poor  helpless 
cripple  :  God  makes  no  mistakes.”  Such  was  his 
resignation  under  affliction  ! 

One  important  object  of  affliction  is  to  discipline 
our  natures,  to  uplift  us  to  God,  to  quicken  within 
our  souls  new  aspirations,  and  kindle  new  emo¬ 
tions,  and  to  draw  out  and  develop  the  latent 
excellencies  of  the  heart,  the  sympathies  and  affec¬ 
tions  of  our  natures,  which  would,  otherwise,  have 
remained  hidden,  and  to  mould,  educate,  and  pre¬ 
pare  the  individual  for  higher  duties  and  more 
important  purposes.  When  the  heavy  hand  of 
affliction  is  upon  us,  wfflen  sickness  comes,  and  we 
are  prostrate  upon  a  couch  of  pain,  and  death  is 
sent  to  smite  some  dear  object  of  our  affection,  so 

I 

that  our  hopes  are  blasted  and  our  expectations 
cut  off,  and  we  feel  crushed  by  our  sorrow ;  then 
we  realize  that  “life  is  real  —  life  is  earnest;” 
and,  coming  in  contact  with  the  realities,  “  we 
begin  to  learn  that  life  is  not  a  holiday  or  a 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


133 


work  day  only,  but  a  discipline ;  that  God  conducts 
that  discipline  in  infinite  wisdom  and  benevolence, 
mingles  the  draught,  and,  when  he  sees  fit,  infuses 
bitterness.”  Christ  was  made  perfect  through  suf¬ 
fering.  The  most  exalted  virtues  and  graces  are 
often  developed  when  we  are  called  to  contend  with 
adversity.  Difficulties  develop  our  strength.  We 
know  not  the  divine  powers  of  the  soul  till  they 
are  tried,  nor  how  much  we  can  endure  till  put 
to  the  trial  —  how  much  strength  we  derive  from 
God,  till  we  find  out  our  own  weakness — how 
much  faith  we  have,  till  we  wrestle  with  doubt  — 
nor  what  patience  and  powers  of  endurance  till 
they  are  tested.  It  is  only  by  collision  with  diffi¬ 
culties  that  we  are  made  strong,  only  by  coming  in 
^contact  with  the  sterner  realities  of  life,  that  our 
natures  are  fully  developed.  “  The  sparkle  of  the 
diamond,”  as  one  has  beautifully  said,  “  comes  only 
of  attrition,  and  the  stoutness  of  the  oak  —  not  of 
soft  skies,  or  gentle  showers  — but  of  the  peltings 
of  storms,  and  the  strains  of  tempests.”  And  is 
it  not  so,  in  the  moral  world  ?  Do  not  the  storms 
of  life  and  its  severe  reverses,  tend  to  strengthen 
us,  to  develop  new  energies,  to  call  out  new  powers, 
and  help  us  to  stand  erect  in  all  the  dignity  of 
manly  natures  ? 

It  is  in  this  light  that  we  are  to  view  affliction 


134 


THE  MISSION  OF  AEFLICTION. 


and  suffering,  as  means^in  God’s  hand  to  discipline 
our  natures,  to  deepen  our  religious  convictions  and 
impressions,  and  to  develop  the  noblest  energies  of 
the  soul.  This  view  of  the  subject  is  in  harmo¬ 
ny  with  our  experience  and  the  highest  philoso¬ 
phy.  It  is  said  of  Dr.  Spurzheim,  that  in  selecting 
a  companion,  he  made  choice  of  one  who  had  seen 
much  trouble  and  passed  through  uncommon  scenes 
of  calamity.  His  theory  was,  that  great  mental 
suffering  is  necessary  to  develop  the  highest  qual¬ 
ities  of  the  soul.  This,  we  believe  to  be  a  correct 
view  of  the  subject.  It  is,  indeed,  hard  to  be 
bowed  in  sorrow  and  anguish,  to  have  trouble  come 
pouring  in  upon  us  like  a  flood,  and  our  hearts 
crushed  by  affliction.  But  this  may  be  the  very 
instrumentality  to  perfect  us,  to  contribute  to  our 
elevation,  and  to  mould  us  and  transform  us  into 
the  image  of  Christ. 

Adversity  has  not  unfrequently  changed  the 
whole  course  of  life,  turned  the  whole  nature  in 
another  direction,  and  set|  a  man’s  face  towards 
Mount  Zion,  the  city  of  the  living  God.  It  has 
often  given  a  strength  of  character  and  a  value  to 
the  Christian  faith,  which  was  never  appreciated 
before,  —  a  distinctness  to  iifimortality  and  a  near¬ 
ness  to  heaven,  which  could  have  been  realized 
by  no  other  means.  Viewing  affliction,  then,  as 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION.  135 

one  of  the  instrum eRtallties  of  heaven  to  benefit 
us  and  discipline  our  natures,  to  develop  new 
strength  and  energies,, we  can  discover  a  depth  of 
cneaning  in  the  language  of  the  Psalmist,  and  a 
profound  Christian  philosophy  which  was  eshib- 
ited  in  his  own  experience,  in  saying,  ‘‘  It  is  good 
for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted  ;  that  I  might  learn 
thy  statuteSo” 

God,  then,  does  not  afflict  willingly,  simply  to 
produce  affliction,  to  sting  us  by  a  great  sorrow. 
He  does  not  delight  to  grieve  the  children  of  men, 
but  in  the  order  of  his  providence  he  is  seeking 
our  improvement.  “  Let  any  one,”  says  a  writer, 
speaking  upon  this  sul^ect,  “  taking  up  the  sum 
total  of  his  life,  consider  what  instances  have  been 
the  most  profitable,  in  which  he  has  gathered  into 
his  soul  the  most  strength  and  wisdom,  and  as  a 
general  thing,  I  think  he  will  find  that  these  did 
not  occur  in  what  he  called  his  brightest  moments, 
not  in  the  full  sweep  of  prosperity,  but  if  he  has 
accumulated  any  profound  experience,  it  has  been 
in  disappointment  and  failure,  in  defeated  plans 
and  manifestations,  and  at  times  under  the  shadow 
of  death.  In  this  light,  the  existence  of  sorrow 
and  suffering  appears  beautifully  consistent.”  And 
is  it  not  so  ?  Those  solemn  providences  of  life 
which  seemed  so  inexplicable  at  first,  so  dark  and 


136 


THE  MISSION  OP"  APTLICTION. 


mysterious  when  viewed  in  the  light  which  streams 
from  heaven,  are  but  the  methods  of  God’s  pur¬ 
pose  to  discipline  our  natures,  and  develop  our 
energies,  and  perfect  our  characters.  They  are  the 
chosen  agencies  of  his  will,  to  test  the  strength 
of  our  spirits,  and  summon  forth  new  powers  I 
Thus,  some  great  affliction  which  has  come  pouring 
in  upDn  us  like  a  flood,  has  opened  new  fountains 
in  the  heart,  revealed  unknown  qualities  and  excel¬ 
lencies.  Thus,  in  trial,  adversity  and  suffering, 
the  timid  have  grown  strong,  the  doubting  and 
wavering  have  stood  firm,  have  put  on  the  mar¬ 
tyr’s  robe,  and  through  some  great  sorrow  many 
souls  have  been  first  led  “  to  the  gates  of  heav¬ 
en  ;  ’’  through  some  great  affliction  have  first 
felt  in  their  souls  the  reality  of  an  immortal  life  — 
have  first  seen  God !  With  these  general  remarks 
upon  the  beneficent  object  of  affliction,  and  its 
purposes  to  discipline  our  natures  and  perfect 
Gur  characters,  we  may  glance  at  one  or  two 
of  the  different  methods  employed  to  secure  this 
end. 

Sickness  has  an  important  mission  to  perform  for 
us.  It  awakens  new  emotions  and  unseals  new 
fountains  of  sympathy,  and  often  works  an  entire 
change  in  our  natures.  It  softens  the  hard  nature, 
and  brings  to  the  soul  a  tenderness  and  charity 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


137 


for  others,  to  which  before  it  was  a  stranger. 
Prostrate  upon  a  couch  of  sickness,  a  man  learns, 
perhaps  for  the  first  time,  his  own  weakness  and 
impotency,  and  dependence  on  God.  Too  many,  in 
cultivating  a  self-reliant  and  independent  spirit, 
become  forgetful  of  the  great  Supreme!  Rolling 
in  luxury  and  wealth,  man  cultivates  an  independ¬ 
ent  spirit,  and  imagines  that  his  own  arm  is  suffi¬ 
ciently  powerful.  Sickness  prostrates  him,  his  brow 
throbs  with  pain,  his  strength  fails,  and  he  is  as 
dependent  as  an  infant.  Other  hands  must  minis¬ 
ter  to  his  many  wants,  and  thus  be  best  learns 
by  experience  his  dependence  on  others  and  the 
value  of  friendship,  of  which,  perhaps,  he  had  no 
correct  appreciation  when  in  the  enjoyment  of 
health. 

The  strong  man  thus  laid  low  upon  a  couch  of 
pain,  looks  up  to  God,  perhaps  for  the  first  time 
for  strength  •  he  realizes  that  he  is  clad  in  earthly 
raiment  and  linked  to  a  material  and  perishable 
nature,  and  that  the  touch  of  the  Almighty  can 
shake  the  earthly  house  of  his  tabernacle  to  its 
foundations,  and  he  turns  towards  God  and 
inquires  after  the  heavenly  mansions.  He  learns 
a  lesson  by  his  own  personal  experience  which  no 
one  could  teach  him.  And  through  this  very 
means  he  learns  to  sympathize  with  others  in 
7a 


138 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


their  weaknesses  and  sicknesses,  as  he  never  did  # 
before.  And  how  essential  to  be  taught  this 
lesson,  in  this  life,  where  so  many  need  our  sym¬ 
pathy  and  assistance.  It  makes  us  acquainted 
with  our  friends,  tests  true  friendship,  and  reveals 
that  which  is  hollow-hearted  and  false.  And  we 
can  well  afford  to  endure  some  physical  suffering 
to  ascertain  the  genuineness  of  friendship,  and  to 
test  the  strength  of  human  affection. 

Again,  death  which  we  are  so  accustomed  to 
regard  as  the  greatest  earthly  afBiction,  has  an 
important  mission  to  perform  for  us.  It  intensifies 
our  aspirations  for  another  life,  and  brings  the  soul 
into  a  position  where  it  demands  an  answer  to 
the  question :  “  If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ?  ” 

It  sends  us  out  at  once  to  inquire  after  God,  and 
the  relation  we  sustain  to  him  and  immortality. 
Mortgaged  as  we  all  are  to  death,  when  our  friends 
are  called  to  walk  through  the  dark  valley,  and  we 
are  summoned  to  go  hence  and  are  brought  to  the 
gates  of  the  grave,  we  then  feel  the  value  of  that 
hope  which  is  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  and  our  aspi¬ 
rations  rush  into  the  skies.  We  see  one  after 
another  of  our  kindred  going  the  way  of  all  the 
earth.  One  after  another  of  the  members  of  our 
family  is  passing  on  ;  now  a  kind  father  who  has 
counseled  us,  then  a  tender  and  affectionate  mother 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


139 


who  has  often  asked  the  blessing  of  God  upon  us  ; 
here  a  little  child  is  taken  by  the  angels,  and 
there  a  beloved  companion  falls  !  So  death  is  in 
all  the  earth ;  all  homesr  are  darkened  by  his  pres¬ 
ence  ;  all  hearts  saddened  by  his  work.  But 
viewed  in  the  light  of  Christian  revelation,  we  can 
accept  these  afflictions  as  coming  from  the  hand 
of  God,  who  doth  not  afflict  willingly.  And  we 
can  believe  that  he  is  not  unkind  in  taking  the 
objects  of  our  affection  from  us,  to  live  with  Christ 
in  the  heavenly  -mansions. 

“  Spiiits  too  tender  for  the  battle  here, 

Have  turned  from  life,  its  hopes,  its  fears,  its  charms. 
And  children,  shuddering  at  a  world  so  drear. 

Have,  smiling,  passed  away  into  his  arms,” 

And  still  clinging  to  them  by  our  affections,  we 
are  drawn  towards  the  heavenly  state  ourselves, 
our  treasures  being  in  heaven,  our  hearts  go  up 
there  too,  and  we  learn  to  commune  with  God 
and  heavenly  visitants.  We  feel  less  drawn  to 
the  earth,  and  attracted  more  towards  heaven. 
We  are  less  wedded  to  the  world,  think  less  of 
its  vanities,  and  more  of  the  glories  and  attrac¬ 
tions  of  heaven,  and  when  time  performs  its  heal¬ 
ing  work  upon  our  spirits,  we  learn  submission 
and  reconciliation  to  the  ways  of  Providence,  and 


140 


THE  MISSION  OF  AFFLICTION. 


seek  to  be  conformed  to*the  divine  image.  Thus 
do  our  afflictions  work  out  for  us  a  far  more  exceed¬ 
ing  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 


“  There  is  a  home  for  weary  souls, 

By  sins  and  sorrows  driven, 

When  tossed  on  life’s  tempestuous  shoals. 
Where  storms  arise  and  ocean  rolls. 

And  all  is  drear  — ’t  is  heaven. 

There  faith  lifts  up  a  tearless  eye. 

The  heart  no  longer  riven,— 

And  views  the  tempest  passing  by. 

Sees  evening  shadows  quickly  fly. 

And  all  serene  in  heaven. 

There  fragrant  flowers  immortal  bloom. 
And  joys  supreme  are  given. 

There  rays  divine,  disperse  the  gloom  ;  • 
Beyond  the  dark  and  narrow  tomb 
Appears  the  dawn  of  heaven.” 


THE  STKENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


In  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  Luke,  we  have 
an  account  of  the  trials  and  severe  mental  conflict 
of  the  Savior,  in  view  of  his  approaching  suffering  ; 
and  the  history  informs  us  that  an  angel  appeared 
from  heaven  and  strengthened  him.  Jesus,  knowing 
the  agonizing  death  that  awaited  him,  called  his 
little  band  of  believers  around  him,  a  short  time 
before  his  suffering,  and  gave  to  them  a  simple  and 

beautiful  rite  for  their  observance,  when  he  should 

# 

no  longer  be  with  them.  He  knew  how  bitter  was 
the  cup  he  was  about  to  drink,  how  severe  was 
the  agony  that  awaited  him.  His  spirit  trembled 
within  him,  and  his  heart  was  bowed  with  heavi¬ 
ness —  and  accompanied  by  three  of  his  disciples, 
he  went  to  a  retired  part  of  the  garden  of  Geth- 
semane,  and  addressed  them  thus,  “My  soul  is 
exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death,  tarry  ye  here 


142 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


and  watch  with  me.”  He  went  a  short  distance 
and  kneeled  down  and  prayed,  that  if  it  were 
possible  the  cup  might  be  removed,  and  he  be 
spared  the  awful  trial  of  the  cross  1  Yet  with  a 
sublin^e  resignation  he  bowed  at  last,  saying  — 
“  Nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done.” 
Three  times  was  this  prayer  repeated,  and  so 
intense  was  his  grief  and  emotion,  that  he  sweat 
as  it  were,  great  drops  of  blood.  His  Father  in 
heaven  answered  his  prayer,  and  though  it  was 
inconsistent  with  the  divine  arrangement  to  remove 
the  cup,  yet  he  had  strength  given  to  endure  the 
trial.  “  There  appeared  unto  him  an  angel  from 
heaven  strengthening  him.”  Trusting  in  God  he 
was  strengthened  to  endure  even  the  ^agonies  of 
the  ignominious  death  of  the  cross. 

The  subject  naturally  suggests  the  wise  and 
beneficent  provision  made  for  the  soul  in  seasons 
of  trial  and  affliction,  so  that  we  can  bow  in  Chris¬ 
tian  submission  to  the  allotments  of  Providence, 
and  be  resigned  to  the  will  of  God  in  the  hour 
of  our  earthly  dissolution,  and  say,  “  Thy  will  be 
done.”  Our  own  observations  have  made  us 
acquainted  with  numerous  instances  of  this  divine 
and  strengthening  spirit  in  seasons  of  trial  —  of 
this  Christian  reconciliation.  We  have  seen  those 
who  have  had  a  thousand  ties  to  bind  them  to  earth. 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


143 


retire  to  the  couch  of  sickness  and  suffering,  and 
of  death,  and  resign  all  into  the  hands  of  a  merci¬ 
ful  God,  rejoicing  even  in  their  sufferings,  endur¬ 
ing  all  without  a  murmur,  and  calling  their  kindred 
about  them  in  their  last  moments,  and  speaking 
their  last  farewell,  in  the  greatest  calmness  and 
composure  of  mind,  strengthened  and  sustained  as 
we  had  not  seen  them  in  active  life. 

Now,  whence  this  composure  and  resignation  ? 
Where  lies  the  power  of  this  reconciliation  ?  No 
philosophy  can  impart  it.  It  comes  from  God. 
The  promise  is  fulfilled  unto  them,  that  according 
to  their  day,  so  shall  their  strength  be.  They  are 
supported  in  every  emergency,  and  upheld  by  a 
divine  arm  in  the  day  of  trial  —  God  sends  his 
holy  angels  to  minister  unto  them,  as  He  did  unto 
the  Savior.  Every  Gethsemane  has  its  strength¬ 
ening  angel.  We  are  not  called  to  suffer  more 
than  we  can  endure,  if  we  but  lend  an  ear  to  the 
angel’s  voice,  and  rely  on  God  for  assistance. 

Under  all  the  solemn  reverses  and  afflictions  of 
life,  God  will  send  his  angels  to  minister  to  us,  if 
we  will  but  welcome  them  to  our  presence. 
Though  they  may  not  be  seen  by  mortal  eye,  still, 
we  shall  Jeel  their  presence,  and  they  will  speak 
comfort  to  our  hearts.  They  will  whisper  words 
of  melodious  sweetness,  and  give  strength  to  our 


144 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


souls,  and  breathe  consolation  into  our  spirits.  We 
shall  feel  their  heavenly  presence,  and  know  that 
they  are  divine  messengers,  and  they  will  speak  to 
our  souls  of  the  glories  and  realities  of  the  heav¬ 
enly  world,  of  the  joys  of  immortality,  and  the  super¬ 
lative  happiness  of  the  redeemed.  We  shall  be 
upheld  by  a  divine  energy.  A  spiritual  power  and 
divine  strength  —  now  perhaps  to  us  mysterious 
and  inexplicable  —  will  be  given  unto  us,  in  the  hour 
of  trial  and  suffering,  which  may  be  a  Gethsemane 
to  our  souls.  But  if  we  only  rely  on  God,  we 
shall  find  angels  there  to  strengthen  us  also !  Ac¬ 
cording  to  our  day  so  shall  our  strength  be,  and 
weshall  be  prepared  for  every  emergency. 

How  often  has  God  revealed  the  preciousness  of 
his  grace,  and  the  glory  of  his  divine  strength,  to 
those  prostrated  upon  couches  of  sickness  and  suf¬ 
fering?  When  disease  has  smitten  them  to  the 
ground,  when  raging  fever  has  run  its  burning 
fingers  over  the  human  frame,  or  when  lingering 
disease  has  fastened  itself  upon  them,  how  many 
have  been  supported  by  a  divine  strength,  upheld 
by  a  divine  power,  and  brought  upon  couches  of 
suffering  without  a  murmur  or  a  sigh,  rejoicing  in 
the  goodness  of  God,  and  in  the  numerous  exhibi¬ 
tions  of  his  grace  and  love  towards  them.  With 
surprising  emphasis  we  have  heard  them  speak  of 
their  heavenly  Father’s  love,  and  of  the  sweet,  divine 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


145 


peace  which  dwelt  within  their  souls.  It  seemed  as 
though  sickness  had  disciplined  their  natures  and 
brought  them  to  lean  on  God’s  arm,  and  that  He 
strengthened  them  for  the  trial.  While  even  their 
physical  suffering  has  been  intense,  and  almost 
irreconcilable  with  divine  wisdom  and  goodness, 
they  have  spoken  of  the  goodness  of  God  to  them, 
and  the  marvelous  exhibitions  of  his  grace,  and  felt 
resigned  to  the  will  of  heaven. 

Now,  whence  this  peace  of  mind,  in  such  seasons 
of  trial  ?  .  this  composure  and  resignation  to  the 
will  of  heaven  ?  Is  it  not  because  God  reveals  his 
presence  to  their  souls,  and  sends  his  angels  to 
strengthen  them,  to  reconcile  them  to  the  ways  of 
Providence,  and  to  uphold  them  in  their  weakness. 
Divine  strength  is  given  unto  them  according  to 
their  day. 

Again,  God  has  sent  his  heavenly  messengers  to 
minister  unto  the  afflicted,  and  to  strengthen  those 
bowed  in  sorrow.  They  have  been  called  to  drink 
the  cup  of  sorrow  to  its  very  dregs.  They  have 
stood  beside  the  dying  bed  of  their  kindred  and 
those  whom  they  have  dearly  loved,  grasped  their 
trembling  hands  in  death,  spoken  a  last  farewell  to 
fond  affection,  pressed  a  kiss  upon  the  cold  lips  of 
the  dead,  and  seen  the  dear  ones  of  earth  depart 
from  their  sight  ;  and  though  scalding  tears  have 


146 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


flowed  in  view  of  the  separation,  yet  they  have  been 
so  strengthened  and  upheld,  and  so  experienced  the 
Father’s  presence,  as  to  be  resigned  to  his  provi¬ 
dence  and  say,  “  Thy  will  be  done.”  They  have 
bent  over  the  loved  of  earth,  and  wiped  the  cold 
death  dew  from  their  pale  faces,  and  while  their 
hearts  have  swelled  with  painful  emotions,  angels 
have  come  and  ministered  unto  them ;  soothed  their 
aching  hearts,  and  breathed  peace  into  their  troubled 
souls,  and  enabled  them  to  look  up  trustingly  to 
God  ;  to  be  resigned  to  the  Providence  that  chast¬ 
ened;  them  and  made  them  to  feel  that  another 
child' is  born  among  the  immortals;  that  another 
spirit  is  redeemed,  and  become  an  associate  of 
angels. 

When  the  angel  of  death  comes  and  wrenches 
from  their  side  some  dear  friend — it  may  be  an 
affectionate  father  or  a  dear  mother,  a  companion  or 
a  child,  and  we  have  seen  them  crushed  by  their 
sorrow  to  the  very  earth,  and  have  trembled  lest 
they  should  reel  beneath  the  shock,  and  their  grief 
should  be  more  than  they  could  bear  —  angels  have 
come  and  ministered  to  them,  soothed  their  aching 
hearts,  and  God  has  strengthened  them  for  the  trial, 
for  every  Gethsemane  has  its  strengthening  angel. 
We  have  seen  the  bereaved  sustained  by  a  divine 
hand.  We  have  seen  the  husband  and  father 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL.  147 

stricken  down  by  the  hand  of  death,  and  while  the 
wife  and  mother  bent  over  the  dead,  God’s  arm  has 
been  outstretched  to  uphold  her,  she  has  been 
strengthened  by  his  presence,  and  supported  by  an 
unseen  hand.  Intense  as  has  been  her  suffering, 
she  has  bowed  in  Christian  reconciliation  to  the 
providence  of  God,  and  been  brought  to  exclaim  in 
the  fullness  of  her  heart,  “  Thy  will  be  done.” 
Thus  are  the  bereaved  sustained  when  they  lean 
upon  God’s  arm,  for  blessed  is  that  man  who 
maketh  the  Lord  his  trust.  If  we  trust  in  God, 
He  will  send  his  good  angels  to  comfort  us  in  our 
afflictions,  and  support  us  in  our  trials. 

Not  only  have  the  sick  and  bereaved  been  sus¬ 
tained,  but  God  has  sent  his  heavenly  angels  to 
strengthen  the  dying  also.  We  confess  that  there  is 
much  that  is  mysterious  in  death  ;  now  God’s  ways 
are  past  finding  out,  but  we  trust  that  in  the  future 
world  we  shall  understand  more  clearly  the  dealings 
of  Providence.  We  wonder  what  are  the  thoughts 
and  emotions  of  the  dying,  and  what  will  be  our 
sensations  as  we  close  our  eyes  in  death.  We  won¬ 
der  whether  we  shall  be  strengthened  and  sus¬ 
tained,  as  we  have  seen  others  supported  in  death. 
While  we  cannot  now  know  all  we  may  desire  in 
regard  to  this  subject,  yet  we  apprehend  that 
many  have  unnecessary  fears  concerning  it.  They 


148 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


fear  that  death  is  a  more  trying  event  than  they  can 
bear,  and  that  it  has  sufferings  which  they  can¬ 
not  endure.  To  the  Iwing^  there  is  a  loneliness 
connected  with  the  idea  of  dying  that  is  not  experi¬ 
enced,  for  the  dying  are  divinely  upheld.  As  they 
go  down  the  ^valley  and  shadow  of  death,  angels 
come  and  minister  unto  them. 

How  often  have  we  seen  this  as  we  have  stood 
around  the  beds  of  our  dying  friends.  Though 
they  have  had  much  to  bind  them  to  earth,  dear 
to  them  as  their  own  souls,  yet  we  have  seen  them 
leave  all  with  the  greatest  composure  of  mind, 
speak  the  last  farewell  to  their  dear  friends  without 
a  sigh  or  a  tear,  and  even  rejoice  at  the  prospect  of 
death,  bid  weeping  cease  around  them,  and  break 
forth  into  songs  of  praise  to  God.  And  as  they 
receded  farther  from  the  shades  of  earth,  crossing 
the  cold  Jordan  of  death,  and  approached  nearer 
to  the  heavenly  state,  while  the  spirit  still  hovered 
on  the  confines  of  earth,  it  seemed  as  though 
they  could  almost  gaze  into  heaven,  and  stood, 
as  it  w^ere,  between  two  worlds,  bound  to  the 
earthly  tabernacle,  and  yet  beholding  the  glories 

of  immortality.  What  we  have  often  thus  wit- 

•/ 

nessed  is  a  glorious  reality  to  the  dying,  wdiich 
we  all  may  experience  in  death,  if  we  exercise  • 
an  unshalien  trust  in  God.  With  them  death 


THE  STRENGTHENING  ANGEL. 


149 


is  swallowed  up  in  victory,  angels  from  heaven 
strengthen  them,  they  die  to  live  with  God,  and 
Christ,  and  the  redeemed.  What  we  call  dying  is 
to  them  a  birth  into,  a  higher  life,  passing  into  a 
purer  and  holier  state  of  existence. 

With  this  view  of  the  subject,  death,  with  us, 
will  be  robbed  of  its  terrors,  its  sting  and  bitter¬ 
ness.  We  need  not  fear  when  called  to  lay  down 
our  armor  at  the  grave’s  mouth.  Disconnected 
from  the  hope  of  immortality,  the  thought  is  sad 
that  we  must  die ;  that  this  voice  must  be  hushed 
in  the  stillness  of  death  ;  this  tongue  be  silent, 
and  these  active  limbs  must  soon  lie  mouldering 
in  the  grave  ;  but  we  should  remember  the  rev¬ 
elation  of  Christianity — that  God  is  our  Father 
and  heaven  our  home,  and  that  angels  will  strength¬ 
en  us  for  the  trial,  and  we  shall  be  sustained 
by  a  divine  power.  This  body  will  return  to 
dust,  mortal  shall  give  place  to  immortality,  cor¬ 
ruption  to  incorruption,  death  to  an  endless  life, 
and  God  shall  be  all  in  all. 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


Much  sorrow  has  come  to  bereaved  hearts  from 
thoughts  connected  with  the  loneliness  of  death. 
When  death  enters  our  windows  and  some  member 
of  our  family  is  summoned  away,  we  jexperience 
such  utter  desolation  ourselves,  and  such  a  burden 
presses  upon  our  own  hearts,  that  we  cannot 
refrain  from  thinking  that  the  dying  share  our 
grief,  and  feel  more  desolate  and  lonely  than  our¬ 
selves.  Many  fond  mothers,  bowed  in  sorrow, 
would  feel  comforted  and  comparatively  resigned 
in  their  affliction,  could  they  be  assured  that  the 
children  of  their  love  had  some  friend  to  go  down 
the  dark  valley  with  them,  to  accompany  them  on 
their  journey  to  the  spirit  land.  But  the  thought 
is  intensely  painful  to  the  mother,  that  the  shrink¬ 
ing,  timid,  sensitive  child  must  go  alone.  This 
thought,  however,  we  believe,  arises  from  a  misap¬ 
prehension  of  the  realities  of  death,  and  miscon- 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


151 


ception  of  the  real  experience  of  the  dying-  Our 
departing  friends,  we  think,  know  nothing  of  this 
loneliness,  which  we  fear  comes  to  them.  They  are 
not  alone.  God  and  Christ  and  the  angels  of  light 
are  with  them  as  they  go,  we  apprehend,  and 
instead  of  going  out  into  utter  darkness,  as  we 
fear,  light  from  heaven  streams  upon  them,  and  the 
glory  of  God  shines  about  them.  Instead  of  being 
among  strangers,  they  meet  loved  ones  who  have 
passed  on  before  them,  and  they  are  not  alone  in 
heaven. 

How  often,  indeed,  do  our  friends  triumph  in  the 
hour  of  their  earthly  dissolution.  Their  last  hours 
are  calm  and  peaceful,  and  not  un frequently  they 
become  impatient  to  depart  and  *be  with  Christ. 
In  their  last  moments,  they  have  gazed,  as  it 
were,  into  heaven  itself,  beheld  the  glories  of  the 
redeemed,  heard  the  songs  of  the  ^heavenly  choir, 
and 

“  Their  tongues  broke  out  in  unknown  strains, 

And  sung  surprising  grace.” 

When  those,  who  have  passed  through,  to  all 
human  appearance,  the  realities  of  death,  have 
afterwards  been  resuscitated,  and  fully  restored  to 
consciousness,  they  invariably  tell  us  of  their  pleas¬ 
urable  emotions,  when  supposed  to  be  dying. 


152 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


and  thousands  have  testified  to  their  superlative 
happiness  in  their  last  moments. 

“  If  I  had  strength  enough  to  hold  a  pen,”  said 
William  Hunter,  in  his  last  moments,  I  would 
write  how  easy  and  delightful  it  is  to  die.”  Said 
the  niece  of  Newton,  of  Olney,  “  If  this  be  dying, 
it  is  a  pleasant  thing  to  die.”  “  The  very  expres¬ 
sion,”  adds  her  uncle,  “  which  another  friend  of 
mine  made  use  of  on  her  death-bed  a  few  years 
ago,”  All  have  heard  expressions  similar  to  these 
from  the  lips  of  the  dying,  indicating  that  the  bitter¬ 
ness  of  death  was  passed,  with  them.  I  thought 
that  dying  had  been  more  difficult,”  said  Louis 
XIY,  in  his  last  moments.  And  the  exclamation 
of  Sauzey,  the  Spanish  theologian  was  :  “  I  did 

not  suppose  it  was  so  sweet  to  die.”  With  all 
these,  there  seems  to  have  been  an  agreeable  sur¬ 
prise,  an  unexpected  pleasure  in  dying,  and  they 
found  no  loneliness  which  many  fear  so  much. 

How  often  have  w’e  seen  our  kindred  and  friends 
strengthened  and  supported  in  death,  and  listened 
to  their  words  of  comfort  to  the  living !  The 
fear  of  death  is  removed,  and  they 

“  Bead  their  titles  clear 
To  mansions  in  the  skies.” 

An  unseen  power  supports  them,  and  an  unseen 
hand  guides  them  ;  God  sends  angels  to  strengthen 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


153 


them,  and  they  are  calm  and  triumphant  in  death. 
They  are  not  alone,  God  and  the  angels  are  with 
them.  The  poet  describes  the  departure  of  such  an 
one  thus : 

“  And  80  with  an  angel's  calmness, 

She  came  to  the  Jordan's  tide  ; 

When  taking  the  hand  of  her  Savior, 

She  went^  up  on  the  heavenly  side.” 

The  dying  feel  the  Infinite  Father’s  presence,  and 
hence  are  not  alone.  What  we  call  death  is 
entrance  into  a  new  life.  What  appears  to  us 
darkness,  is  the  brightness  of  eternal  day,  to  the 
dying.  They  pass  from  earth  to  live  with  the  re¬ 
deemed  in  heaven. 

“These  testimonies,”  says  a  writer,*  “  of  the 
dying  might  be  increased  to  any  extent,  showing 
that,  as  a  rule,  whatever  perturbations  may  have 
preceded,  there  is  in  the  article  of  death  itself  an 
almost  entire  absence  both  of  physical  and  mental 
suffering.  Heaven  seems  very  merciful  to  us  in 
the  last  hour,  and  soothing  all  our  pain,  vouch¬ 
safes  to  us  a  quiet  and  peaceful  departure  to  the 
land  of  rest.  Dr.  Black,  worn  out  by  age  and  a 
tendency  to  pulmonary  hemorrhage,  which  obliged 
him  to  live  very  low,  while  eating  his  customary 
frugal  mjil,  fell  asleep,  and  died,  in  so  tranquil 
*  Thayer. 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


manner,  that  he  did  not  even  spill  the  contents 
of  the  spoon  which  he  held  in  his  hand.  And 
the  death  of  Sir  Charles  Blagden  was  in  much 
the  same  way  ;  for  while  enjoying  a  social  meal 
with  some  of  his  intimate  friends,  he  died  in  his 
chair  so  quietly  that  not  a  drop  of  the  cofiee  in 

the  cup  which  he  held  in  his  hand  was  spilled. 

» 

Haller  died  feeling  his  pulse,  and  when  almost 
gone,  he  turned  to  his  brother  physician,  and  said 
cheerfully,  “  My  friend,  the  artery  almost  ceases 
to  beat,”  and  quietly  breathed  his  last.  Petrarch 
and  Leibnitz  both  died,  the  hand  still  holding  the 
book  they  were  reading  ;  and  Lucan,  Roscommon 
and  Klospstock  died  repeating  their  own  poetry. 
Schiller,  when  dying,  replied  to  an  inquiring 
friend.  “  I  am  feeling  calmer  and  calmer.”  And 
the  poet  Kents  on  being  asked  how  he  felt,  just 
before  he  died,  answered  with  characteristic  sweet¬ 
ness  and  beauty,  “  Better  my  friend  ;  I  feel  the 
daisies  growing  over  me.” 

“  When  Mozart  had  given  the  finishing  touches  to 
that  wonderful  “  Requiem,”  his  last  and  sweetest 
composition,  he  fell  into  a  quiet  and  composed 
clumber.  On  awaking,  he  said  to  his  daughter, 
“Come  hither,  my  Emilie,  ray  task  is  done;  the 
Requiem — my  Requiem  is  finished.”  “0  no,” 


\ 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH.  15^5 

said  the  gentle  girl,  the  tears  filling  her  eyes,  “  you 
will  be  better  now  ;  and  let  me  go  and  bring  you 
^something  refreshing.”  “  Do  not  dtceive  yourselD 
my  love,”  he  replied,  “  1  am  beyond  human  aid  ; 
I  am  dying,  and  I  look  to  Heaven’s  mercy  only 
for  aid.  You  spoke  of  refreshment  —  take  these 
last  notes  of  mine ;  sit  down  by  my  piano  here  — 
sing  them  wit'i  the  hymn  ofj  your  sainted  mother 
—  let  me  once  more  hear  those  tones  which  have 
so  long  been  my  solace  and  delight.”  His  daugh¬ 
ter  complied,  and,  with  a  voice  tremulous  with  emo¬ 
tion,  sung  the  following  : 

Spirit  1  thy  labor  is  o’er  ! 

The  race  of  the  mortal  is  run  ; 

Thy  steps  are  now  bound  for  the  untrodden  shore, 

And  the  race  of  immortals  begun. 

Spirit  I  look  not  on  the  strife 

Or  the  pleasures  of  earth  with  regret  — 

Pause  not  on  the  threshold  of  limitiess  life, 

To  mourn  for  the  day  that  is  set. 

Spirit!  no  fetters  can  bind, 

\ 

No  wicked  have  power  to  molest ; 

0 

There  tjie  weary,  like  thee,  and  the  wretched,  shall  find 

A  home,  and  a  mansion  of  rest. 

Spirit!  how  bright  is  the  road 

For  which  thou  art  now  on  the  wing! 

Thy  home  it  will  be  with  thy  Saviqr  and  God, 

Their  praises  forever  to  sing. 

« 


156 


THE  LONELINESS  OF  DEATH. 


As  the  last  notes  died  away  into  silence,  the  spirit 
of  the  great  composer  took  its  flight  heavenward ; 
and  as  the  daughter  turned  for  the  accustomed 
words  of  approval,  she  saw  only  the  sweet  smile 
of  contentment  which  still  lingered  on  the  face  of 
death,  and  revealed  the  unutterable  peace  of  his 
dying. 

The  departure  of  Beethoven,  whose  musical  com¬ 
positions  are  still  the  delight  of  mankind,  was 
equally  beautiful  and  impressive.  He  was  entirely 
deaf,  and  never  knew  the  joy  of  hearing  his  own 
wonderful  creations.  He  had  been  for  some  time 
slowly  sinking  away  into  the  arms  of  death,  when 
one  day  he  suddenly  revived,  and  as  a  bright  smile 
lighted  up  his  expressive  features,  he  softly  mur¬ 
mured  “/  shaU  heojr  in  heaven  I''"'  and  immediately 
he  began  singing  in  a  low,  but  clear  and  distinct 
voice,  one  of  his  own  beautiful  hymns  —  and  so  he 
passed  “over  the  river  ”  into  the  land  of  immortal 
song,  and  joined  the  choir  of  angels.” 

The  last  moments  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bailey,  of  Roch¬ 
ester,  N.  Y.,  are  described  by  a  witness  of  his  calm 
and  triumphant  death,  as  follows : 

“  A  few  moments  towards  the  last,  when  ho 
seemingly  had  departed,  his  wife  placed  her  hand  on 
his  shoulder,  and  it  was  at  once  seen  that  conscious* 


THE  LONEr>INESS  OF  DEATH. 


157 


ness  was  perfect.  The  soul  was  only  pluming  itself, 
for  flight.  Said  he,  ‘  Over  the  river  ;  over  the  river 
they  beckon  to  me.  I  see  both  sides  of  the  river. 
I  see  Ellen.  I  see  many  others — yes,  more  than 
there  are  on  this  side.^  Then,  quietly  and  with¬ 
out  a  struggle,  he  departed,  to  join  the  sainted 

t 

band  in  the  immortal  world.^’ 

The  dying  are  not  alone.  God  sends  his  angels 
to  strengthen  and  support  them.  The  happy  and 
triumphant  death  of  Rev.  Thomas  Starr  King,  pre¬ 
sents  another  case  in  point.  He  addressed  words 
of  cheer  and  comfort  to  the  friends  who  stood  about 
his  dying  couch.  To  his  wife,  he  said  :  “  Do  not 
weep  for  me.  I  know  it  is  all  right.  I  wish  I  could 
make  you  feel  so.  I  wish  I  could  describe  my  feel¬ 
ings.  They  are  strange !  I  feel  all  the  privileges 
and  greatness  of  the  future.”  He  said  to  another : 
“  I  see  a  great  future  before  me.  It  already  looks 
grand.  I  am  passing  away  fast.  My  feelings  are 
strange.”  His  wife  asked  him  if  he  had  any 
special  message  to  his  friends,  at  home.  “  Tell 
them,”  he  s  iid,  “  I  went  lovingly,  trustfully,  peace¬ 
fully.”  Thus  are  the  dying  upheld  by  the  gracious 
and  loving  band  of  God.  They  are  not  aione^  for 
the  Father  is  with  them. 


SOLDIERS’  HYRIN. 


BY  ALICE  CARYi 


Thers  is  a  land  where  strife  shall  cease. 
Where  arms  shall  clash  no  more ; 
WAere  all  is  calm  content  and  peace  ; 
Lord,  bring  us  to  that  shore. 

• 

Jn  the  rough  tent,  in  the  wild  tent, 

In  the  marches  by  the  way, 

Be  Thou  the  soldier’s  comforter, 

His  strength,  his  staff,  his  stay. 

About  the  graves  of  good  men  gone. 
Make  Thou  the  grass  to  shine  ; 

Our  armies  lead  to  victory  on, 

And  make  their  victories  thine. 

In  the  rough  tent,  in  the  wild  tent. 
In  he  marches  by  the  way. 

Be  Thou  the  soldier’s  comforter, 

His  strength,  his  staff,  his  stay. 


THE  soldiers’  HYIVIN, 

And  when  we  ’ve  done  with  life’s  events, 
When  the  dark  shadows  fall, 

Help  ns,  O  Lord,  to  strike  onr  tents, 

For  the  last  march  of  all. 

To  the  sad  tent,  to  the  sick  tent, 

To  the  dying  tent  come  down, 

And  gem  the  rough  wood  of  the  cross 
With  the  blossoms  of  the  crown. 


159 


THE  MEMOKY  OF  THE  DEAD. 


Constituted  as  we  are  with  the  strong  ties  of 
•  affection  which  God  has  implanted  in  the  human 
soul,  we  are  bound  and  linked  to  each  other  as 
with  “  hooks  of  steel.”  And  when  death  invades 
our  homes,  and  the  family  circle  is  broken,  and 
some  loved  one  passes  on  before  us  to  the  spirit 
world,  our  thoughts  follow  the  dear  departed  to  the 
mansions  above,  and  we  remember  them  by  day  and 
by  night.  If  our  child  has  been  taken  from  us,  we 
think  of  its  relations  and  surroundings  in  that 
unseen  world,  and  whether  a  sense  of  loneliness 
will  not  come  to  that  child,  without  father  or 
mother  to  accompany  it,  and  whether  it  will  be 
tenderly  watched  over  and  cared  for,  in  that  new  life 
upon  which  it  has  entered.  How  precious  is  the 
memory  of  that  child.  We  forget  its  imperfections 
and  think  only  of  its  excellencies  and  lovely  traits 


THE  MEMORY  OE  THE  DEAD. 


161 


of  character.  Every  thing  that  was  inharmonious 
and  unlovely  passed  into  the  grave  with  the  body, 
and  we  remember  only  the  beautiful  qualities,  and 
sweet  characteristics  of  the  departed. 

If  our  parents  are  taken,  their  memory  is  very 
dear  to  us.  As  we  mourn  their  loss,  how  do  we 
recall  their  words  of  affection,  counsel  and  admo¬ 
nition,  which  perhaps,  had  been  long  forgotten .- 
We  forget  their  mistakes  and  errors,  and  think 
only  of  their  virtues,  their  noble  qualities  and  gene¬ 
rous  deeds.  “  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  traits 
of  our  humanity,  this  tender  memory  of  the  dead ; 
this  quick  forgetfulness  of  all  that  was  unpleasant, 
and  this  eager  calling  up  of  every  grace  and  beauty, 
of  every  gentle  and  winning  thing  in  the  character 
of  the  departed.  Death  seems  to  sanctify  all  our 
thoughts  of  the  departed  \  all  willingly  forget  the 
evil,  and  remember  only  the  good  there  was  in 
them.”  The  following  beautiful  passage  upon  this 
subject,  is  from  the  pen  of  Irving  : 

‘‘The  sorrow  for  the  dead  is  the  only  sorrow 
from  which  we  refuse  to  be  divorced.  Every  other 
would  we  seek  to  heal  —  every  other  affliction  to 
forget ;  but  this  wound  we  consider  it  a  duty  to 
keep  open  —  this  affliction  we  cherish  and  brood 
over  in  solitude.  Where  is  the  mother  who  would 
willingly  forget  the  infant  that  perished  like  a  bios- 


162 


THE  MEMORY  OF  TH  E  DEAD  . 


som  from  her  arms,  though  every  recollection  is  a 
pang?  Where  is  the  child  who  would  willingly 
forget  the  most  tender  of  parents,  though  to  remem¬ 
ber  be  but  to  lament  ?  Who,  even  in  the  hour 
of  agony,  would  forget  the  friend  over  whom  he 
mourns  ?  Who,  even  when  the  tomb  is  closing 
upon  the  remains  of  her  he  most  loved,  when  he 
feels  his  heart  as  it  were,  crushed  in  the  closing  of 
its  portal,  would  accept  of  consolation  that  must 
be  bought  by  forgetfulness  ?  No ;  the  love  which 
survives  the  tomb  is  one  of  the  noblest  attributes 
of  the  soul.  It  has  its  woes,  it  likewise  has  its 
delights ;  and  when  the  overwhelming  burst  of 
grief  is  calmed  into  the  tear  of  recollection — when 
the  sudden  anguish  and  the  convulsive  agony  over 
the  present  ruins  of  all  that  we  most  loved,  is 
softened  away  into  pensive  meditation  on  all  that 
it  was  in  the  days  of  its  loveliness  —  who  would 
root  out  the  sorrow  from  the  heart  ?  Though  it 
may  sometimes  throw  a  passing  cloud  over  the 
bright  hour  of  gaiety,  to  spread  a  deeper  sadness 
over  the  hour  of  gloom,  yet  who  would  change  it 
even  for  the  song  of  pleasure,  or  the  burst  of  rev¬ 
elry  ?  No  ;  there  is  a  voice  from  the  tomb  sweeter 
than  song.  There  is  a  remembrance  of  the  dead, 
to  which  we  turn  even  from  the  charms  of  the 
living.  Oh,  the  grave !  the  grave !  It  buries  every 


THE  MEMORY  OE  THE  DEA.D. 


163 


error  —  covers  every  defect,  extinguishes  every 
resentment !  From  its  peaceful  bosom  spring  none 
but  fond  resirets  and  tender  recollections.” 

O 

Who  that  has  ever  been  bereaved  has  not  real¬ 
ized  this  in  his  own  experience;  and  felt  that  there 
is  a  sorrow  better  for  him,  dearer  to  him,  than 
any  joy  the  world  can  give.  Who  that  has  ever 
lost  a  beloved  one,  a  child,  a  parent,  a  friend,  has 
not  sometime  realized  that,  dead,  they  have  become 
more  to  him  than  they  ever  could  have  been  living 
—  nay,  that,  dead,  they  have  done  more  for  him, 
blessed  him  more,  lifted  him  nearer  to  God  and  the 
heavenly  life,  than  they  ever  could  have  done  while 
in  the  body.  0  yes,  the  memory  of  the  dead 
often  has  for  us  a  sanctifying  power,  which  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  the  living,  however  sweet  their  communion, 
never  had;  and  in  our  frequent  thouGrlit  of  them, 
we  find  that  our  hearts  and  hopes  are  slowly  disen¬ 
tangling  themselves  from  the  earthly,  and  steadily 
drifting  heavenward. 

“  How  beautiful  is  the  memory  of  the  dead ! 
What  a  holy  thing  it  is  in  the  human  heart,  and 
what  a  chastening  influence  it  sheds  upon  human 
life  !  How  it  subdues  all  the  harshness  that  grows 
up  within  us,  in  the  daily  intercourse  with  the 
world  !  How  it  melts  our  iinkindness,  softens  our 
pride,  kindling  our  deepest  love,  and  waking  our 


164 


THE  MEMORY  OF  THE  DE4D. 


highest  aspirations  !  Is  there  one  who  has  not  some 
loved  friend  gone  into  the  eternal  world,  with  whom 
he  delights  to  live  again  in  memory  ?  Does  he  not 
love  to  sit  down  in  the  hushed  and  tranquil  hours 
of  existence,  and  call  around  him  the  face,  the 
form,  so  familiar  and  cherished? 

“  The  blessed  dead  !  how  free  from  stain  is  our 
love  for  them  !  The  earthly  taint  of  our  affections 
is  buried  wdth  that  which  was  corruptible,  and 
the  divine  flame  in  its  purity  illumines  our  breast, 
VTq  have  now  no  fear  of  losing  them.  They  are 
flxed  for  us  eternally  in  the  mansions  prepared  for 
our  re-union.  Our  hearts  are  sanctified  by  their 
words  which  we  remember.  How  wise  they  have 
now  grown  in  the  limitless  fields  of  truth.  How  joy¬ 
ous  they  have  become  by  the  undying  fountains  of 
pleasure.  The  immortal  dead  !  how  unchanging  is 
their  love  for  us.  How  tenderly  they  look  down 
upon  us,  and  how  closely  they  surround  our  being. 
How  earnestly  they  rebuke  the  evil  of  our  lives. 

“  Let  men  talk  pleasantly  of  the  dead,  as  those 
who  no  longer  suffer  and  are  tried  —  as  those  who 
pursue  no  longer-  the  fleeting,  but  have  grasped  and 
secured  the  real.  With  them  the  fear  and  the 
longings,  the  hope,  and  the  terror,  and  the  pain 
are  past:  the  fruition  of  life  has  begun.  How 
unkind,  that  wdien  we  put  away  their  bodies,  we 


THE  MEMORY  OF  THE  DEAD. 


165 


should  cease  the  utterances  of  thier  names.  The 
tender-hearted  dead  who  struggled  so  in  parting 
from  us !  why  should  we  speak  of  them  with  awe, 
and  remember  them  only  with  sighing  !  Yery  dear 
were  they  when  hand  clasped  hand,  and  heart 
responded  to  heart.  Why  are  they  less  dear  when 
they  have  grown  Vvorthy  a  higher  love  than  ours, 
and  their  perfected  souls  might  receive  our  adora¬ 
tion  !  By  their  hearth-side,  and  by  their  grave¬ 
side,  in  solitude,  and  amid  the  multitude,  think 
cheerfully  and  speak  lovingly  of  the  dead.” 


WITHOUT  THE  CHILDEEN. 


Oh,  Uhe  weary,  solemn  silence 
Of  a  house  without  the  children, 

Oh,  the  strangre,  oppressive  stillness 
Where  the  children  come  no  more  ! 
Ah !  the  longing:  of  the  sleepless 
For  the  soft  arm  of  the  children. 

Ah  !  the  longing  for  the  faces 
Peeping^  throng h'^  the  open  door  — 
Faces  gone  forevermore ! 


WITHOUT  THE  CHILDREN. 


Strange  it  is  to  wake  at  midnight 
And  not  hear  the  children  breathing, 
Nothing  but  the  old  clock  ticking, 
Ticking,  ticking  by  the  door. 

Strange  to  see  the  little  dresses 
Hanging  up  there  all  the  morning  ; 

And  the  gaiters  —  ah  I  their  patter. 

We  wili  hear  it  never  more 
On  our  mirth -forsaken  floor. 

What  is  home  without  the  children  ? 
’Tis  the  earth  without  its  verdure. 

And  the  sky  without  its  sunshine  : 

Life  is  withered  to  the  core  ! 

So  we  ’ll  leave  this  weary  desert. 

And  we  ’ll  follow  the  Good  Shepherd 
To  the  beauteous  pastares  vernal, 

Where  the  lambs  have  “gone  before’ 
With  the  Shepherd  evermore ! 


THE  HEAVENLY  SHEPHERD. 


SELECTED. 


When  on  my  ear  yonr  loss  was  knelled, 
And  tender  sympathy  upburst, 

A  little  rill  from  memory  swelled, 

Which  once  had  soothed  my  bitter  thirst. 

And  I  was  fain  to  bear  to  you 
Some  portion  of  its  mild  relief, 

That  it  might  be  a  healing  dew 
To  steal  some  fever  from  your  grief. 

After  our  child’s  untroubled  breath 
Up  to  the  Father  took  its  way, 

And  on  our  house  the  shade  of  death. 

Like  a  long  twilight,  haunting  lay; 

And  friends  came  round  with  us  to  weep 
Her  little  spirit’s  swift  remove  ; 

This  story  of  the  Alpine  sheep 
Was  told  to  us  by  one  we  love. 

They,  in  the  valley’s  sheltered  care. 

Soon  crop  the  meadow’s  tender  prime. 

And  when  the  sod  grows  brown  and  bare. 
The  shepherd  strives  to  make  them  climb 


168 


THE  HEAVENLY  SHEPHERD. 


\ 


To  airy  shelves  of  pastures  green, 

That  hang  around  the  mountain's  side, 
Where  grass  and  flowers  together  lean. 

And  down  through  mists  the  sunbeams  slide. 

But  naught  can  tempt  the  timid  things 
That  steep  and  rugged  path  to  try. 

Though  sweet  the  shepherd  calls  and  sings, 
And  seared  below  the  pastures  lie. 

Till  in  his  arms  their  lambs  he  takes, 

Along  the  dizzy  verge  to  go  ; 

Then,  heedless  of  the  rifts  and  breaks, 

They  follow  on,  o'er  rock  and  snow. 

And  in  those  pastures  lifted  fair, 

« 

More  dewy  soft  than  lowland  mead. 

The  shepherd  drops  his  tender  care. 

And  sheep  and  lambs  together  feed. 

This  parable  by  nature  breathed. 

Blew  on  me  as  the  south-wind  free. 

O’er  frozen  brooks  that  float  unsheathed 
From  icy  thraldom  to  the  sea. 

A  blissful  vision  through  the  night 
Would  all  my  happy  senses  sway. 

Of  the  good  shepherd  on  the  height, 

Or  climbing  o’er  the  starry  way. 

Holding  our  little  lamb  asleep  : 

And  like  the  burden  of  the  sea. 

Sounded  that  voice  along  the  deep, 

Saying,  “Arise  and  follow  me!” 


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